TY - RPRT AN - 01548588 AU - Lewis, Carol Abel AU - Council, Walter AU - Auzenne, Jennifer AU - Texas Southern University, Houston AU - Southwest Region University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - The Effect of the City of Houston Transit Corridor Ordinance on Development along METRO’s Light Rail Corridors PY - 2014/10 SP - 33p AB - Many cities are moving toward more compact, transit friendly development. Specifically when the focus of the development is the transit, the concept is considered transit friendly and termed transit supportive or transit oriented development (TOD). Typically rail stations or transit centers spawn medium to high density mixed-use developments, designed to promote walking, transit and bicycling in those areas. It is common for cities to revise codes and guidelines to encourage transit friendly development. The City of Houston’s development, public infrastructure and built environment are guided by the Chapter 42 Subdivision, Developments, and Platting Ordinance. In 2009 the City of Houston added a Transit Corridor Ordinance, a code in Chapter 42 to encourage an urban environment that improves pedestrian mobility, supports METRO’s light rail investment, and helps accommodate the City’s anticipated growth. This research examines developer response to the Transit Corridor Ordinance and determines which parcels owners have chosen to undertake design of elements within this code. Other agency TOD efforts, various developer rail station projects and best practices of public and private joint developments are also explored. KW - Developers KW - Development KW - Houston (Texas) KW - Land use planning KW - Light rail transit KW - Ordinances KW - Public private partnerships KW - Rail transit stations KW - Transit oriented development KW - Transportation corridors UR - http://swutc.tamu.edu/publications/technicalreports/600451-00047-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1335917 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01548581 AU - Peters, Diniece AU - Zhang, Zhanmin AU - University of Texas, Austin AU - Southwest Region University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Productivity-based Approach to Valuation of Transportation Infrastructure PY - 2014/10//Final Report SP - 70p AB - Transportation infrastructure, a vital component to sustain economic prosperity, represents the largest public-owned infrastructure asset in the U.S. With over a trillion invested dollars invested into long-lived physical assets such as roads and bridges, transportation agencies are tasked with maintenance and rehabilitation efforts to ensure that the access to transportation facilities is readily available and that the infrastructure is properly preserved. The management of these assets and the determination of their value, however, have been at the forefront of discussions in many state agencies and local governments. As a consequence, asset valuation has become a key component in asset management because it links the performance of infrastructure and deterioration process with the value of the infrastructure and its depreciation, providing critical information for decision makers at various levels to make more informed decisions. A utility-based methodological framework for the valuation of transportation infrastructure is presented along with a case study to demonstrate its applicability. A general framework is presented with emphasis on the valuation of pavement infrastructure. The results from the framework are then compared to existing valuation methods in addition to a series of sensitivity analysis on the variation of performance measures and their effect on the value of an asset. The development of this valuation approach serves as a starting point for assessing, in addition to the physical condition of an asset, the operational measures that can often make an asset less useful to its customers and managing agency. Utility theory can be utilized to combine the effect of performance indicators of varying measures and scales on the value of an asset. The proposed framework can assist state and local transportation agencies in the optimization of resource allocation procedures for better coordination of asset investments, facilitating benefit-cost analyses to quantify the impact of infrastructure investments. This tool allows agencies to detect deficiencies if any, in the management of its assets, providing a feedback mechanism that can foster an introspective review of its current management practices that may need further refinement or possibly elimination. KW - Asset management KW - Case studies KW - Infrastructure KW - Maintenance KW - Performance measurement KW - Resource allocation KW - Sensitivity analysis KW - Texas KW - Utility theory KW - Valuation UR - http://swutc.tamu.edu/publications/technicalreports/600451-00089-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1335916 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01544703 AU - Rakha, Hesham AU - Kamalanathsharma, Raj Kishore AU - Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg AU - National Institute for Advanced Transportation Technology AU - TranLIVE AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - U.S. Department of Transportation TI - Green Cooperative Adaptive Control Systems in the Vicinity of Signalized Intersections PY - 2014/10//Final Report SP - 57p AB - Vehicle stops and speed variations account for a large percentage of vehicle fuel losses especially at signalized intersections. Recently, researchers have attempted to develop tools that reduce these losses by capitalizing on traffic signal information received via vehicle connectivity with traffic signal controllers. Existing state-of-the-art approaches, however, only consider surrogate measures (e.g. number of vehicle stops, time spent accelerating and decelerating, and/or acceleration or deceleration levels) in the objective function and fail to explicitly optimize vehicle fuel consumption levels. Furthermore, the majority of these models do not capture vehicle acceleration and deceleration limitations in addition to vehicle-to-vehicle interactions as constraints within the mathematical program. The connectivity between vehicles and infrastructure, as achieved through Connected Vehicles technology, can provide a vehicle with information that was not possible before. For example, information on traffic signal changes, traffic slowdowns and even headway and speed of lead vehicles can be shared. The research proposed in this report uses this information and advanced computational models to develop fuel-efficient vehicle trajectories, which can either be used as guidance for drivers or can be attached to an electronic throttle controlled cruise control system. This control system is known as an Eco-Speed Control system. The modeling of the system constitutes a modified state-of-the-art path-finding algorithm within a dynamic programming framework to find near-optimal and near-real-time solutions to a complex non-linear programming problem that involves minimizing vehicle fuel consumption in the vicinity of signalized intersections. The results demonstrated savings of up to 30 percent in fuel consumption within the traffic signalized intersection vicinity. The proposed system was tested in an agent-based environment developed in MATLAB using the Rakha-Pasumarthy-Adjerid (RPA) car-following model as well as the Society of Automobile Engineers (SAE) J2735 message set standards for vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) and vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication. The results showed how multi-vehicle interaction enhances usability of the system. Simulation of a calibrated real intersection showed average fuel savings of nearly 30 percent for peak volumes. The fuel reduction was high for low volumes and decreased as the traffic volumes increased. KW - Adaptive control KW - Autonomous intelligent cruise control KW - Computer models KW - Fuel consumption KW - Mobile communication systems KW - Shortest path algorithms KW - Signalized intersections KW - Simulation KW - Vehicle trajectories UR - http://www.uidaho.edu/~/media/Files/orgs/ENGR/Research/NIATT/TranLIVE/Final%20Reports/VT_TranLIVE_Final_GreenCooperativeAdaptive UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1330356 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01544652 AU - Finley, Melisa D AU - Miles, Jeffrey D AU - Center for Advancing Transportation Leadership and Safety (ATLAS Center) AU - Texas A&M Transportation Institute AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Impact of Alcohol on Lane Placement and Glance Patterns when Passing a Parked Active Law Enforcement Vehicle PY - 2014/10 SP - 29p AB - For this project, researchers used an existing dataset from a previous research effort to investigate the moth effect theory, where it is believed that drivers drift toward bright lights. While the previous research study primarily focused on signs, on one segment of the closed-course participants drove past a law enforcement vehicle with its overhead flashing lights activated at two blood alcohol concentration (BAC) levels (0.00 and 0.12 g/dL). Researchers also utilized the existing dataset to investigate how alcohol affects pupil size and vehicle speed. Within 300 ft of the law enforcement vehicle, all of the participants initially steered the vehicle away from the vehicle. However, about 250 ft upstream of the vehicle all of the participants began to drift back toward the vehicle and continued to drift toward the vehicle for approximately 200 ft, moving laterally 8 to 24 inches. Nonetheless, all participants kept the study vehicle well within the lane lines. On average, participants drifted farther toward the law enforcement vehicle at a BAC level of 0.12 g/dL. However, the effect of BAC level on lane placement varied by participant. Researchers confirmed that the pupil diameter for the majority of participants was larger at a BAC level of 0.12 g/dL than at a BAC level of 0.00 g/dL. Participants at a BAC level of 0.12 g/dL also tended to look directly at the law enforcement vehicle less. Small differences in the vehicle speed between BAC levels were seen; however, the differences were practically negligible. Typically, the participants at the 0.00 g/dL BAC level appeared to drive more conservatively. Overall, the vehicle lane placement findings upstream of the law enforcement vehicle support the moth effect theory. In addition, the pupil diameter findings confirmed expectations regarding bright light sources and alcohol-impaired driving. KW - Blood alcohol levels KW - Brightness KW - Drunk drivers KW - Eye movements KW - Lateral placement KW - Police vehicles KW - Pupils (Eyes) KW - Speed KW - Vehicle lighting UR - http://www.atlas-center.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Finley-ATLAS-2013-02.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1329984 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01544633 AU - Robinson, R Michael AU - Foytik, Peter AU - TranLIVE AU - Old Dominion University, Virginia Beach AU - U.S. Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Optimizing Freight Routes and Modes to Minimize Environmental Impacts: Integrating Truck Emissions Cost in Traffic Assignment PY - 2014/10//Final Report SP - 25p AB - Adverse impacts of greenhouse gases (GHG) and the imperative for reducing the production are well established. The transportation sector accounts for 28% of all U.S. GHG production. Heavy-duty vehicles (e.g., large freight trucks) account for nearly 1/5 of the U.S. total and this fraction is growing. Most current efforts emphasize one of four areas: (1) engineering improvements to improve fuel economy or reduce emissions, (2) shifts to other transport modes, (3) improved logistics to reduce the movement of partially full or empty containers, and (4) reduced travel costs for individual trucks. A small fraction of studies have assessed modifications to route choice considerations as a means of improving fuel economy of individual vehicles. These studies suggest the potential gains are very small. In this study, potential gains of emissions-based route choice were assessed by integrating the EPA Motor Vehicle Emissions Simulator (MOVES) with a macroscopic regional traffic demand model. For this integration, route choices included a simplified emission calculation within the repeated model iteration runs of a Frank-Wolfe type algorithm. Analyses suggest reductions of freight truck emissions are possible and show an example where the total systems truck emission was reduced by up to 0.61% (88.8 tons). KW - Algorithms KW - Environmental impacts KW - Freight transportation KW - Motor Vehicle Emission Simulator (MOVES) KW - Pollutants KW - Route choice KW - Traffic assignment KW - Travel demand KW - Trucks UR - http://www.uidaho.edu/~/media/Files/orgs/ENGR/Research/NIATT/TranLIVE/Final%20Reports/ODU_TranLIVE_FinalReport_FreightEmissions UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1329807 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01544632 AU - Kubas, Andrew AU - Vachal, Kimberly AU - Mountain-Plains Consortium AU - Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Impact of Energy Sector Growth on Perceived Transportation Safety in the Seventeen-County Oil Region of Western North Dakota: A Follow-Up Study PY - 2014/10 SP - 56p AB - The sharp increase in travel volumes, shift in traffic mix, and large increases in crashes have transformed the travel environment in the oil region of western North Dakota. Roads once used for local access and agricultural purposes now mostly serve expanding oil production. Oil companies, workers, commercial trucks, and industrial equipment associated with oil extraction use these roads to access oil drilling and production sites. This has led to a larger number of overweight and oversized vehicles on the road. A survey questionnaire was sent to drivers to better understand perceptions and behaviors of road users in this region. County-level crash data were gathered for the state of North Dakota to understand changes in driving conditions during the latest oil boom – specifically between 2004 and 2013. This study addresses two goals for improving traffic safety in the region: first, to examine public perceptions of traffic safety issues and priorities; and, second, to address crash trends and possible intervention strategies. Survey results indicate that drivers perceive the region to be dangerous. Crash data reveal that overall crash events are growing at near exponential rates, and some metrics are worsening even when factoring for changes in vehicle miles traveled and population growth. KW - Behavior KW - Crash data KW - Drivers KW - Highway safety KW - North Dakota KW - Petroleum industry KW - Rural areas KW - Surveys KW - Trend (Statistics) KW - Trucks KW - Vehicle mix UR - http://www.mountain-plains.org/pubs/pdf/MPC14-271.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1329528 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01544624 AU - Mattson, Jeremy AU - Miller, James AU - Hough, Jill AU - Goodwill, Jay AU - Sriraj, P S AU - Small Urban and Rural Transit Center AU - University of Illinois, Chicago AU - National Center for Transit Research AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Evaluating the State of Mobility Management and Human Service Transportation Coordination PY - 2014/10//Final Report SP - 102p AB - The Federal Transit Administration and its partners have worked to build a transportation coordination infrastructure to improve community mobility. Recent efforts at coordinating human services transportation have focused on mobility management, emphasizing the needs of customers and using the assets of a number of organizations. As a part of this study, an evaluation method was developed that can be used in communities across the country to examine the effectiveness of their mobility management and coordination programs. Results examine three key impacts: the impacts of services on meeting the needs of transportation-disadvantaged populations, the impacts of improved mobility on quality of life, and the impacts of mobility management and coordination efforts on meeting the goals of quality of service, ease of access, and efficiency. The evaluation method developed for the study consisted of a series of surveys of both transit users and stakeholders in communities across the country. Stakeholders included transit providers, human service agencies, and other organizations. Results from both the end-user and stakeholder surveys suggest improvements in efficiencies, ease of access, and quality of service. Most respondents to the stakeholder survey reported benefits that have been realized. Results from an ordered probit model demonstrate the positive impacts that improved mobility has on life satisfaction. KW - Coordination KW - Evaluation KW - Mobility KW - Probits KW - Quality of life KW - Quality of service KW - Social service agencies KW - Stakeholders KW - Surveys KW - Transit riders KW - Transportation disadvantaged persons UR - http://www.ugpti.org/resources/reports/downloads/2014-10-evaluating-mobility-management.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1331209 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01544616 AU - Cetin, Mecit AU - Unal, Ozhan AU - TranLIVE AU - Old Dominion University AU - U.S. Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Real-time Prediction of Queues at Signalized Intersections to Support Eco-Driving Applications PY - 2014/10//Final Report SP - 28p AB - The overall objective of this research is to develop models for predicting queue lengths at signalized intersections based on the data from probe vehicles. The time and space coordinates of the probe vehicles going through signalized intersections are utilized to predict the back of the queue profile. For a single intersection, prediction models are developed where both over-saturated and under-saturated conditions are considered. The shockwave theory (i.e., the Lighthill-Whitham-Richards theory) is used to estimate the evolution of the back of the queue over time and space from the event data generated when probe vehicles join the back of the queue. An analytical formulation is developed for determining the critical points required to create the time-space diagrams that characterize queue dynamics. These critical points are used to estimate the queue lengths. The formulation is tested on the data obtained from traffic simulation software VISSIM. It was found that the shockwave-based formulation is effective in estimating queue dynamics at signalized intersections for -- and over-saturated conditions even with a relatively low percentage of probes (e.g., 10-20%) in the system. For example, under over-saturated conditions simulated, the error is less than ±10% in more 90% of the cycles when the market penetration of probe vehicles is 15%. KW - Ecodriving KW - Mathematical prediction KW - Probe vehicles KW - Signalized intersections KW - Sustainable transportation KW - Traffic queuing KW - Traffic simulation UR - http://www.uidaho.edu/~/media/Files/orgs/ENGR/Research/NIATT/TranLIVE/Final%20Reports/ODU_TranLIVE_Final%20Report_Real-Time%20Prediction UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1329806 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01544594 AU - Nguyen-Hoang, Phuong AU - Yeung, Ryan AU - Mid-America Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Dollars for Lives: The Effect of Highway Capital Investments on Traffic Fatalities PY - 2014/10//Final Report SP - 34p AB - There is no research that links capital investments on highways with highway fatalities. This research project aimed to fill that gap. The authors used state-level data from the 48 contiguous states of the U.S. from 1968 through 2010 to estimate the effects of highway fatalities on capital expenditures and highway capital stock, which is defined as the total street and highway capital value that has accumulated up to a given point in time. The authors estimated these effects by controlling for a set of control variables, together with state and year dummy variables, and state-specific linear time trends. It was found that capital expenditures and capital stock had significant and negative effects on highway fatalities. The results of the research emphasize that while state and local governments are currently fiscally strained, it is important for them to continue investments in roadways to enhance traffic safety and, more significantly, to save lives. KW - Capital expenditures KW - Capital investments KW - Fatalities KW - Highways KW - Traffic safety KW - United States UR - http://matc.unl.edu/assets/documents/matcfinal/Nguyen-Hoang_DollarsforLivesTheEffectofHighwayCapitalInvestmentsonTrafficfatalities.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1331078 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01544591 AU - Llorens, Jared J AU - Richardson, James A AU - Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge AU - National Center for Intermodal Transportation for Economic Competitiveness AU - Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Economic Impact Analysis of Short Line Railroads PY - 2014/10//Final Report SP - 48p AB - This research project assesses the economic role and impact of short line railroads in the state of Louisiana. While relatively small in scope, with 11 operators and approximately 500 miles of track, short line railroads play a significant role in supporting the state’s core economic drivers. Overall, short line railroads are small, but significant components of the state’s business connections since the primary purpose of these rail lines is to move commodities from Louisiana producers, via rail, to national and international markets and vice versa. This report addresses a number of key factors related to their overall economic impact upon the state’s economy, including the regional economic impact of the short line railroads. First described is the scope and presence of the eleven short line railroads currently operating in the state of Louisiana, paying particular attention to their role in facilitating the transportation of goods to and from Class I railroads. Second, a detailed description of the broader economic contribution of short line railroads in Louisiana, focusing on key economic metrics such as employment levels, parish presence and industries served, as well as estimates of the economic impact of the short line railroads on the state and selected regions of the state, is provided. In this section, the fact that short line railroads account for approximately 1,821 direct and indirect jobs in the state, many of which are located in parishes with limited employment opportunities, is highlighted. More importantly, short line railroads directly support the State’s leading industries (i.e., agriculture, oil and gas, etc.) which represent the major drivers of the State’s overall economy. These major industries support over 260,000 jobs in the Louisiana economy or close to 15 percent of all jobs in the state. In addition, these core industries create the opportunity for other businesses to be successful. In this section, also addressed are possible alternatives to short line rail operations and their environmental and economic impact. Lastly, short line policies (e.g., grant programs for capital improvements) that should be considered by the state of Louisiana in order to accommodate the flow of goods using railways in the state is explored. These policies are drawn from short line rail policies that have been crafted by other states, but are related to the unique short line issues in Louisiana. KW - Economic analysis KW - Economic impacts KW - Employment KW - Environmental impacts KW - Freight transportation KW - Industries KW - Louisiana KW - Policy KW - Short line railroads UR - http://www.ltrc.lsu.edu/pdf/2014/FR_527.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1330376 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01544518 AU - Clevenger, Caroline M AU - Ozbek, Mehmet E AU - Mahmoud, Hussam AU - Fanning, Blaine AU - Mountain-Plains Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Impacts and Benefits of Implementing Building Information Modeling on Bridge Infrastructure Projects PY - 2014/10 SP - 34p AB - To date, Building Information Modeling (BIM) is not widely utilized in infrastructure asset management. Benefits achieved through implementation in vertical construction, however, suggest that BIM represents significant opportunity for gains in process, material, and economic efficiency throughout infrastructure life cycles. This research documents the current state of BIM implementation across four regional transportation authorities in the United States. Next, it provides a detailed case study analyzing and comparing two current (2013) bridge projects, one that uses BIM and one that does not. The advantages of BIM are confirmed through observed reduction in requests for information (RFIs) and change orders (COs) relative to construction area (SF), cost ($), and average daily traffic, compared with typical construction. Finally, the report outlines potential benefits and implications of using BIM for infrastructure asset management by regional transportation authorities and the transportation industry overall. Numerous stakeholders involved with horizontal construction and operation currently seek information regarding the potentially significant benefits of integrating BIM into infrastructure asset management. This research is important because it serves to assess and inform such an imminent transition. The contribution of this research is to document and assess the role of BIM implementation and potential impacts in order to use it in assisting throughout the life cycle of infrastructure assets. KW - Asset management KW - Average daily traffic KW - Benefits KW - Bridge construction KW - Building information modeling KW - Case studies KW - Computer aided design KW - Costs KW - Implementation KW - Infrastructure KW - State of the practice KW - United States UR - http://www.mountain-plains.org/pubs/pdf/MPC14-272.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1330172 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01543590 AU - Biton, Anna AU - Nash, Logan AU - Mannheim, Daniel AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service TI - Nantucket National Wildlife Refuge Alternative Transportation Study PY - 2014/10//Final Report SP - 106p AB - This study for the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) identifies and analyzes options for enhancing alternative transportation access to the Nantucket National Wildlife Refuge (Nantucket NWR) at Great Point in Nantucket, Massachusetts. The study team developed and evaluated multiple scenarios for enhancing alternative transportation access to Nantucket NWR. The team developed an initial set of land- and water-based scenarios, and then refined them with further research on visitor demand, site conditions, financial projections, and implementation requirements. After arriving at a core set of access options, the study presents specific considerations and recommendations for FWS and its partners as they move to implement enhanced service. The project team recommended that rather than implement a drastically new service model, FWS implement flexible enhancements to the current tours. KW - Access KW - Alternatives analysis KW - Nantucket (Massachusetts) KW - Nantucket National Wildlife Refuge KW - Public transit KW - Tourism UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/54000/54100/54103/DOT-VNTSC-FWS-14-02.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1330874 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01543177 AU - McCarthy, Charlie AU - Harnett, Kevin AU - Carter, Art AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration TI - A Summary of Cybersecurity Best Practices PY - 2014/10//Final Report SP - 40p AB - This report contains the results and analysis of a review of best practices and observations in the field of cybersecurity involving electronic control systems across a variety of industry segments where the safety-of-life is concerned. This research provides relevant benchmarks that are essential to making strategic decisions over the next steps for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA’s) research program. This publication is part of a series of reports that describe the authors' initial work under the goal of facilitating cybersecurity best practices in the automotive industry (Goals 1 and 2). The information presented herein increases the collective knowledge base in automotive cybersecurity; helps identify potential knowledge gaps; helps describe the risk and threat environments; and helps support follow-on tasks that could be used to establish security guidelines. KW - Automobile industry KW - Best practices KW - Cybersecurity KW - Electronic control KW - Motor vehicles KW - Safety and security KW - Traffic safety KW - Vehicle electronics UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/52000/52800/52889/812075_CybersecurityBestPractices.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1329314 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01543175 AU - Geyer, Michael AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Aviation Administration TI - Aircraft Navigation and Surveillance for a Spherical Earth PY - 2014/10//Project Memorandum SP - 197p AB - This memorandum addresses a basic function of aircraft (as well as marine, missile and satellite) surveillance and navigation systems analyses — quantifying the geometric relationship of two or more locations relative to each other and to a spherical earth. Here, geometry simply means distances (ranges) and angles. Applications that fit well with the methods presented herein include (a) planning a vehicle’s route; (b) determining the coverage region of a radar or radio navigation installation; or (c) calculating a vehicle’s position from slant-ranges, spherical-ranges, slant- or spherical-range differences, azimuth/elevation angles and/or altitude. The approach advocated is that, to simplify and clarify the analysis process, the three-dimensional problems inherent in navigation and surveillance analyses should, to the extent possible, be re-cast as the most appropriate set/sequence of sub-problems/formulations: Vertical-Plane Formulation; Spherical-Surface Formulation; Three-Dimensional Vector Formulation; and Linearized Least-Squares Iterative Formulation. These techniques are applied to a series of increasingly complex situations, starting with those having two problem-specific points, then extending to those involving three or more problem-specific points (e.g., two or more sensor stations and an aircraft). Closed-form (non-iterative) solutions are presented for determining an aircraft’s position based on virtually every possible combination of ranges, pseudoranges, azimuth or elevation angles and altitude measurements. The Gauss-Newton Linearized Least-Squares (LLS) iterative methodology is employed to address the most complex situations. These include any combination of the following circumstances: more measurements than unknown variables, measurement equations are too complex to be analytically inverted (including those for an ellipsoidal-shaped earth), or empirical data are utilized in the solution. Also, the capability of the LLS methodology to provide an estimate of the accuracy of any solution to the measurement equations is presented. KW - Aircraft pilotage KW - Closed form solutions KW - Linearized least squares methodology KW - Location KW - Position fixing KW - Surveillance UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/53000/53100/53123/DOT-VNTSC-FAA-15-01.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1329317 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01577871 TI - Horizon 2020 & Project Twinning AB - No summary provided. KW - European Union KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Innovation KW - Project management UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1371144 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01544698 AU - Coifman, Benjamin AU - Wu, Lan AU - Wei, Heng AU - NEXTRANS AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Increasing Accuracy of Vehicle Detection from Conventional Vehicle Detectors- Counts, Speeds, Classification, and Travel Time PY - 2014/09/23/Final Report SP - 44p AB - Vehicle classification is an important traffic parameter for transportation planning and infrastructure management. Length-based vehicle classification from dual loop detectors is among the lowest cost technologies commonly used for collecting these data. Like many vehicle classification technologies, the dual loop approach works well in free flow traffic. Effective vehicle lengths are measured from the quotient of the detector dwell time and vehicle traversal time between the paired loops. This approach implicitly assumes that vehicle acceleration is negligible, but unfortunately at low speeds this assumption is invalid and length-based classification performance degrades in congestion. To addresses this problem, the authors seek a solution that relies strictly on the measured effective vehicle length and measured speed. The authors analytically evaluate the feasible range of true effective vehicle lengths that could underlie a given combination of measured effective vehicle length, measured speed, and unobserved acceleration at a dual loop detector. From this analysis the authors find that there are small uncertainty zones where the measured length class can differ from the true length class, depending on the unobserved acceleration. In other words, a given combination of measured speed and measured effective vehicle length falling in the uncertainty zones could arise from vehicles with different true length classes. Outside of the uncertainty zones, any error in the measured effective vehicle length due to acceleration will not lead to an error in the measured length class. Thus, by mapping these uncertainty zones, most vehicles can be accurately sorted to a single length class, while the few vehicles that fall within the uncertainty zones are assigned to two or more classes. The authors find that these uncertainty zones remain small down to about 10 mph and then grow exponentially as speeds drop further. Using empirical data from stop-and-go traffic at a well-tuned loop detector station the best conventional approach does surprisingly well; however, this new approach does even better, reducing the classification error rate due to acceleration by at least a factor of four relative to the best conventional method. Meanwhile,this approach still assigns over 98% of the vehicles to a single class. KW - Acceleration (Mechanics) KW - Accuracy KW - Loop detectors KW - Traffic congestion KW - Traffic counts KW - Traffic speed KW - Transportation planning KW - Travel time KW - Vehicle classification KW - Vehicle detectors KW - Vehicle length UR - http://www.purdue.edu/discoverypark/nextrans/assets/pdfs/092OY04%20Final%20Report%20and%20Technical%20Summary.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1330057 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01544577 AU - Coifman, Benjamin AU - Kim, Seoungbum AU - NEXTRANS AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Traffic Behavior at Freeway Bottlenecks PY - 2014/09/23/Final Report SP - 53p AB - This study examines traffic behavior in the vicinity of a freeway bottleneck, revisiting commonly held assumptions and uncovering systematic biases that likely have distorted empirical studies of bottleneck formation, capacity drop, and the fundamental relationship (FR). This simulation-based study examines an on-ramp bottleneck using Newell's lower order car following model with a driver relaxation factor added for the vehicles that enter or are immediately behind an entering vehicle (termed "affected vehicles"). The affected vehicles will tolerate a truncated headway for a little while after an entrance but slowly relax back to their preferred speed-spacing relationship. All other vehicles remain on their preferred speed-spacing relationship throughout. Simulating conventional detector measurements, the authors show that flow is supersaturated in any sample containing an affected vehicle with a truncated headway, i.e., the flow is higher than the underlying FR would predict. This systematic bias is not readily apparent in the detector measurements, during the initial queue formation speeds remain close to free speed and the supersaturated states can exceed the bottleneck capacity. As the affected drivers relax, the high flows become unsustainable so a queue initially forms downstream of the on-ramp (consistent with earlier empirical results) only later receding upstream past the on-ramp. This initial phase of activation often lasts several minutes. Without any evidence of queuing upstream of the ramp, the conventional point bottleneck model would erroneously indicate that the bottleneck is inactive. Thus, an empirical study or traffic responsive ramp meter could easily mistake the supersaturated flows to be the bottleneck's capacity flow, when in fact these supersaturated flows simply represent system loading during the earliest portion of bottleneck activation. Instead of flow dropping "from capacity", the authors see flow drop "to capacity" from supersaturation. The authors also discuss how the supersaturated states distort empirically observed FR. The authors speculate that these subtle mechanisms are very common and have confounded the results of many past empirical studies. KW - Bottlenecks KW - Headways KW - Highway capacity KW - On ramps KW - Simulation KW - Traffic flow KW - Traffic speed UR - http://www.purdue.edu/discoverypark/nextrans/assets/pdfs/088OY04%20Final%20Report%20and%20Technical%20Summary.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1329802 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01544559 AU - Coifman, Benjamin AU - Wu, Lan AU - Wei, Heng AU - NEXTRANS AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Increasing Accuracy of Vehicle Speed Measurement in Congested Traffic over Dual-Loop Sensors PY - 2014/09/23/Final Report SP - 39p AB - Classified vehicle counts are a critical measure for forecasting the health of the roadway infrastructure and for planning future improvements to the transportation network. Balancing the cost of data collection with the fidelity of the measurements, length-based vehicle classification is one of the most common techniques used to collect classified vehicle counts. Typically the length-based vehicle classification process uses a pair of detectors in a given lane to measure effective vehicle length. While the calculation is simple and seems well defined, this study demonstrates that small changes in the calculations can lead to large differences in performance during challenging conditions. In particular, most conventional calculations assume that acceleration can be ignored, which simply is not the case in congested traffic. As a result of this fact, many operating agencies are reluctant to deploy classification stations on roadways where traffic is frequently congested. This study examines six variations of the conventional vehicle length calculation and develops a seventh that also estimates constant acceleration. It then highlights two of these approaches that work well in extreme conditions on freeways for speeds down to 15 mph. This range should be sufficient for most applications. Then using empirically collected data the authors find that the extreme events were uncommon and even the conventional method did quite well in stop-and-go traffic since the slower traffic moves, the lower the flow during that period. In any event, the key to success is the use of well-tuned detectors. KW - Acceleration (Mechanics) KW - Data collection KW - Loop detectors KW - Speed measurement KW - Traffic congestion KW - Traffic speed KW - Transportation planning KW - Vehicle classification KW - Vehicle length UR - http://www.purdue.edu/discoverypark/nextrans/assets/pdfs/066OY03%20Final%20Report%20and%20Technical%20Summary.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1330039 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01554041 TI - Structural Determinants of Electric Vehicle Market Growth AB - Understanding the challenges that plug in electric vehicle (PEV) markets are facing and how they are likely to evolve in different regions requires an understanding of the major factors--political, technological, economic, and societal--that drives the development, deployment and use of these vehicles. In this study, a Technological Innovation System (TIS) framework will be used to examine such factors in different U.S. states. TIS provides a holistic approach to the assessment of factors that affect the market development and diffusion of new technologies, and is often used to develop policy interventions to address market barriers. The objective of this study is to improve our understanding of the dynamics that affect emerging PEV markets. The significance of this study is that it will develop guidance on public policy and corporate strategy to accelerate the market growth of PEV. KW - Electric vehicle charging KW - Electric vehicles KW - Guidelines KW - Market share KW - Plug-in hybrid vehicles KW - Policy analysis KW - Technological innovations UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1344602 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01541526 AU - Shen, Qing AU - Chen, Peng AU - Schmiedeskamp, Peter AU - Bassok, Alon AU - Childress, Suzanne AU - Pacific Northwest Transportation Consortium AU - University of Washington, Seattle AU - Puget Sound Regional Council AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Bicycle Route Choice: GPS Data Collection and Travel Model Development PY - 2014/09/15/Final Project Report SP - 71p AB - Bicycle use is being promoted for a variety of social benefits. Because of the benefits associated with bicycling, jurisdictions across the central Puget Sound region and the nation have been investing in improvements to bicycle infrastructure. Academic and professional literature provides a basis for generally understanding bicycling behavior. However, less is known about the benefits of one facility type over another, or the potential inducement of new bicycle users when a policy intervention improves bicycling conditions. This study will rely on global positioning system (GPS) bicycle trace data collected by the Puget Sound Regional Council through the CycleTrack mobile application. The objectives of the study include improving the Puget Sound Regional Council’s travel demand model to include bicycle route choice and assignment, which will allow for policy analysis and an improved understanding of the tradeoffs between facilities, the relationship between utilitarian and recreational bicycling, and an analysis of the utility of a number of bicycle facilities that will become operational over the course of the study. KW - Bicycle facilities KW - Bicycling KW - Global Positioning System KW - Puget Sound Region KW - Route choice KW - Travel demand UR - http://depts.washington.edu/pactrans/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/PacTrans-19-625083-Shen-Qing-Small-Project.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1325004 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01541525 AU - Hulsey, J Leroy AU - Xioa, Feng AU - Dolan, J Daniel AU - University of Alaska, Fairbanks AU - Pacific Northwest Transportation Consortium AU - Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Phase II: Correlation Between Experimental and Finite Element Analysis Alaska Bridge 255- Chulitna River Bridge PY - 2014/09/15/Final Project Report SP - 80p AB - In this study, the behavior of the Alaska Chulitna Bridge is monitored for the specific purpose of assisting the Department of Transportation (DOT) in performing an accurate condition assessment of this bridge. Based on the state-of-the-art structural health monitoring (SHM) knowledge and technologies with a specific interest in those which could be used on bridges in cold, remote regions, the objective of this study is to provide important information for structural condition assessment of the Chulitna River Bridge. Proposed SHM objectives are listed below—applicable to all bridges: (1) Develop a SHM protocol including preferred system integrator, software, instrumentation, and sensors suitable for Alaska’s remote, harsh weather locations. (2) Develop criteria to incorporate SHM into the state’s bridge management process. The established SHM system for Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (ADOT&PF) will be able to monitor performance of bridges subjected to extreme temperature and conditions—an aspect that is very important information for assessment of the structural condition and potential remaining service life of Alaska bridges. KW - Alaska KW - Bridge management systems KW - Condition surveys KW - Finite element method KW - Frigid regions KW - Sensors KW - Service life KW - Structural health monitoring UR - http://depts.washington.edu/pactrans/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/PacTrans-13-739439-Hulsey-J.-Leroy-Small-Project.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1324997 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01541524 AU - Barbosa, Andre R AU - Mason, H Benjamin AU - Romney, Kyle AU - Oregon State University, Corvallis AU - Pacific Northwest Transportation Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - SSI-Bridge: Soil-Bridge Interaction During Long-Duration Earthquake Motions PY - 2014/09/15/Final Project Report SP - 128p AB - The seismic response of a complete soil-bridge system during shallow, crustal and subduction zone earthquakes is the topic of this report. Specifically, the effects of earthquake duration on the seismic performance of soil-bridge systems are examined. This topic is important, because many bridges worldwide are located in tectonic regions characterized by a subducting plate boundary, where high-intensity, long-duration earthquake motions are possible. To date, the effects of earthquake duration are not widely considered during seismic design of bridges. In this report, a model of a soil-bridge system is developed in the finite element framework OpenSees. The soil-bridge system is subjected to earthquake motions of varying durations using the direct method. Comparative results show that the number of inelastic excursions in the bridge column and pile increase significantly with earthquake duration, even though other traditional measures of damage such as maximum bending moments and peak column drifts are independent of duration. The results also indicate that the number of inelastic excursions is strongly correlated with earthquake intensity measures that incorporate earthquake duration, such as significant duration, and cumulative absolute velocity. The results imply that earthquake duration needs to be considered when designing and retrofitting bridge superstructures, especially when these are designed to fail in flexure, which is the desired mode of failure in current design methodologies. KW - Bridges KW - Earthquake resistant design KW - Earthquakes KW - Finite element method KW - Pacific Northwest KW - Soil structure interaction KW - Time duration UR - http://depts.washington.edu/pactrans/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/PacTrans-8-739437-Mason-Ben-Small-Project.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1324995 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01541522 AU - Ideker, Jason H AU - Bañuelos, José AU - Oregon State University, Corvallis AU - Pacific Northwest Transportation Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - The Use of Synthetic Blended Fibers to Reduce Cracking Risk in High Performance Concrete PY - 2014/09/15/Final Project Report SP - 72p AB - Transportation departments have observed varying degrees of cracking in their concrete structures. Cracking of high performance reinforced concrete structures, in particular bridge decks, is of paramount concern to Pacific Northwest Departments of Transportation. Cracking at early ages (especially within the first year after placement) results in additional costs and a significant maintenance burden to Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT). The causes behind cracking in high performance concrete are well known and documented in the existing literature. Recent research at Oregon State University under two separate projects: SPR 711 and SPR 728 has elucidated the propensity for shrinkage in high performance concrete mixtures mainly used for concrete bridge decks. These previous projects identified 1) mitigation methods to reduce shrinkage (e.g. internal curing using fine lightweight aggregates (FLWA), and/or the use of shrinkage reducing admixtures (SRA)) and 2) proposed shrinkage measurement techniques and thresholds/limits using those techniques that should reduce shrinkage and early-age cracking risk. The aim of this project was to investigate a relatively new technique to control early-age cracking; the use of blended size polypropylene fibers in high performance concrete mixtures. The key findings from this work were that the use of drying shrinkage test methods alone, without the capture of cracking risk, showed that the inclusion of fibers did not reduce drying shrinkage in unrestrained specimens. However, in restrained testing (where the possibility of crack formation is promoted) the fibers were able to 1) reduce the rate of stress generation in specimens 2) prolong the time to cracking in the restrained ring test (ASTM C 1581) and 3) reduce the crack widths and the growth of cracks once cracking did initiate. As a result the use of blended fibers in high performance concrete points to another viable solution for reducing the risk of cracking in service. KW - Bridge decks KW - Cracking KW - Fiber reinforced concrete KW - High performance concrete KW - Oregon KW - Polymer fibers KW - Shrinkage UR - http://depts.washington.edu/pactrans/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/PacTrans-11-739437-Ideker-Jason-Small-Project.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1324994 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01541498 AU - Wall, Richard W AU - Bauer, Denise H AU - University of Idaho, Moscow AU - Pacific Northwest Transportation Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Second Generation Accessible Pedestrian Systems PY - 2014/09/15/Final Project Report SP - 50p AB - The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 has had a great impact on the implementation of Accessible Pedestrian Systems that target accessible and safety impediments faced by pedestrians with mobility and visual impairments. Intersection geometries are not uniform, and the traffic signal timing varies widely from one intersection to the next as well as days of the week and even hours of the day. The customization of the traffic signal operations is generally oriented to improving the performance of the vehicular traffic; the resulting changes in traffic patterns almost always impact the pedestrian access. Longer cycle lengths require pedestrians to cope with inclement weather or become impatient resulting in crossing without a WALK signal. For pedestrians who have vision impairments, the challenges become daunting. No longer is vision the primary means of communicating information that directly affects the safety when crossing a street. To allow safer and more reliable pedestrian access at signalized intersections, the pedestrian systems should be able to be customized easily and quickly. Pedestrians can be faced with confusing or conflicting directions resulting in unsafe actions and could be tempted to assume increased individual risks if there is no ability to tune the pedestrian information for each intersection. These systems are intended for use by pedestrians possessing a wide range of physical and cognitive abilities, and this research seeks to provide direction and alert these pedestrians of potential dangers in ways that are clear and quickly comprehended. This research leverages off Smart Signals Research that started in 2004. The goal from the beginning was to develop a system that can provide capability for advanced technologies to improve the safety for pedestrians at signalized intersections. At early stages in this research, it was realized that the technologies currently being used do not provide the necessary infrastructure. Hence, past research focused on an enabling technology that has resulted in an innovative highly customizable pedestrian control system that has been commercially offered to a national market since 2010. Feedback from transportation agencies, pedestrian advocacy groups, and transportation equipment manufacturers has directed the research in areas that can provide the enhanced capabilities for precise and reliable systems to assist the general pedestrian population. Through workshops with an advisory group, extensive dialogs with experts, and technology development, the authors have developed a second generation of accessible pedestrian systems capable of being expanded to include direct interaction with selected pedestrians. A pilot test was also conducted to determine an appropriate tone for the second speaker navigation. Technical reviews involving the research designers and the engineers with equipment manufacturers for the first generation pedestrian control system hardware and software brought out several key elements that needed improving. The hardware and software underwent extensive redesign, testing and performance evaluation. The resulting equipment has lower cost and improved capability and performance. The major system design improvements are wider operating temperature range, independent audio outputs, simplified power circuit design, extensible communications capability using diverse wireless and direct wired network technologies, and equipment that is less expensive to install. The results of the pilot testing gave direction for future larger-scale testing and insights on how individuals cope without vision. The benefit of the advanced features will be realized when the pedestrian navigation and guidance features are integrated with the second generation hardware. KW - Audible pedestrian signals KW - Pedestrian actuated controllers KW - Pedestrian safety KW - Pedestrians KW - Persons with disabilities KW - Signalized intersections KW - Technological innovations KW - Traffic control devices KW - Traffic signal control systems KW - Visually impaired persons UR - http://depts.washington.edu/pactrans/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/PacTrans-16-739436-Wall-Richard-Small-Project.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1325001 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01541482 AU - Goodchild, Anne AU - Drescher, Jerome AU - Pacific Northwest Transportation Consortium AU - Port of Seattle AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Developing a Robust Survey Methodology for Collecting Information on the Port Truck Drayage Industry PY - 2014/09/15/Final Project Report SP - 73p AB - This paper describes the population characteristics in the drayage trucking population of the Port of Seattle as determined by the 2013 Truck Driver Survey. The 2013 Truck Driver Survey was created to give the Port of Seattle more information on the trip destinations, working conditions, equipment, and economics of truck drivers serving the Port of Seattle, so that policy makers creating regulations affecting trucking at the port could be better informed about the trucking population. The survey was a 44 question mail-back survey that was distributed at the Port of Seattle. The survey was distributed for eight days at all container terminals at the Port of Seattle, and got a 29% response rate. The majority of the trips to and from the Port of Seattle are for the local Seattle area (33%) and the Kent Valley (20%). Other trips are distributed to service areas throughout the State of Washington. Owner-operators were found to make more of the short trips, with employee drivers making more of the long trips. 62% of trucks at the Port of Seattle are more than 12 years old. These trucks will have to be replaced before 2015 to comply with the Port of Seattle Clean Trucks Program. The Port of Seattle has a diverse population, with 53% of drivers indicating that they did not speak English as a first language. Drivers who indicated that they didn’t speak English were about 50% from Africa, with South/Central America and Asia/Pacific Islands also having significant populations. KW - Data collection KW - Demographics KW - Drayage KW - Economics KW - Equipment KW - Methodology KW - Origin and destination KW - Port of Seattle KW - Ports KW - Surveys KW - Truck drivers KW - Working conditions UR - http://depts.washington.edu/pactrans/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/PacTrans-17-624908-Goodchild-Anne-Small-Project.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1325002 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01541458 AU - Larson, Timothy AU - Cheng, Hui AU - Cai, Mengyu AU - Pacific Northwest Transportation Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Assessment of a New Screening Model for Use in Siting Near-Road NO₂ Monitors PY - 2014/09/15/Final Project Report SP - 13p AB - Near-road monitoring of nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) in major urban areas in the U.S. will be required by 2013. It is not yet known exactly how many urban areas will be in attainment of the new NO₂ air quality standard, due to a lack of historical near-road monitoring information. The answer is sensitive to the exact siting of these monitors with respect to the roadway and the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA’s) siting guidance for near-road NO₂ monitors is not yet officially established. In this project the authors test the feasibility of a relatively new air quality model, the Quick Urban Industrial Complex (QUIC) model as a practical and economical screening tool for assessing near-road NO₂ monitoring sites in a complex urban environment. Using the QUIC model, predictions of nitrogen oxides concentrations are made at locations near Interstate 5 in Seattle. Model performance are assessed by comparing predictions with accompanying measurements using a mobile monitoring platform. KW - Air quality KW - Computer models KW - Environmental monitoring KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Nitrogen oxides KW - Seattle (Washington) KW - Urban areas UR - http://depts.washington.edu/pactrans/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/PacTrans-20-624882-Larson-Timothy-Small-Project.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1325005 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01541456 AU - Stuedlein, Armin W AU - Walters, James J AU - Strahler, Andrew W AU - Pacific Northwest Transportation Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Characterization of Frictional Interference in Closely-Spaced Reinforcements in MSE Walls PY - 2014/09/15/Final Project Report SP - 180p AB - This research addresses one of several knowledge gaps in the understanding of tall Mechanically Stabilized Earth (MSE) wall behavior: prediction of reinforcement loads impacted by frictional interference of closely-spaced reinforcements associated with tall walls. Key findings of this research include: (1) New backfill-specific and gravelly-soil models for the prediction of the apparent friction coefficient with normal effective stress were developed for use with ribbed steel strip reinforcements. (2) The performance of the proposed pullout resistance design models were compared to the current American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) design model and found to produce significantly more accurate predictions of the apparent friction coefficient. (3) Preliminary test results indicate that frictional interference appear to exist in the vertical direction at vertical pressures of 100 kPa and may increase the peak pullout loads of reinforcement strips as much as 40% at a spacing of 152 mm. KW - Backfill soils KW - Earth walls KW - Friction KW - Gravelly soils KW - Mechanically stabilized earth KW - Pull out test KW - Reinforcement (Engineering) KW - Stresses UR - http://depts.washington.edu/pactrans/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/PacTrans-9-739437-Stuedlein-Armin-Small-Project.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1324996 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01541432 AU - Hurwitz, David S AU - Olsen, Michael AU - Marnell, Patrick AU - Mahmoudabadi, Hamid AU - Oregon State University, Corvallis AU - Pacific Northwest Transportation Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Rendering of Dense, Point Cloud Data in a High Fidelity Driving Simulator PY - 2014/09/15/Final Project Report SP - 36p AB - Driving Simulators are advanced tools that can address many research questions in transportation. Recently they have been used to advance the practice of transportation engineering, specifically signs, signals, pavement markings, and most powerfully to examine the safety and efficiency of alternative transportation solutions. These simulators are a powerful 3D, virtual environment enabling the study of how drivers respond to potential designs or policies. A key challenge is virtual environment that maintains high fidelity to the real world. 3D laser scanners, which use Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR), are line-of-sight technology that emits laser pulses at defined, horizontal and vertical angular increments to produce a 3D point cloud, containing XYZ coordinates for objects that return a portion of the light pulse within range of the scanner. This detailed point cloud is a virtual world that can be explored and analyzed by a variety of people. Through the combination of these two technological systems, more authentic, virtual, built-environments can be used by transportation engineering professionals for the purpose of 3D design. This research project focuses on the technical issues of importing and displaying 3D laser scan data within a driving simulator. For import in the simulator, datasets need to be in the VRML97 format with color values scaled from [0 1]. A transformation needs to be applied to convert between real-world coordinates and screen coordinates. Large datasets should be filtered, when possible, and tiled into very small increments (< 35 MB) to maintain system interactivity. KW - Data files KW - Driving simulators KW - Information processing KW - Laser radar KW - Three dimensional displays UR - http://depts.washington.edu/pactrans/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/PacTrans-10-739437-Hurwitz-David-Small-Project.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1324993 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01541421 AU - Van Gerpen, Jon H AU - He, B Brian AU - Wang, Dongyun AU - Bi, Zheting AU - University of Idaho, Moscow AU - Pacific Northwest Transportation Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Production of Renewable Diesel Fuel from Biologically Based Feedstocks PY - 2014/09/15/Final Project Report SP - 39p AB - Renewable diesel is an emerging option to achieve the goal set by the Federal Renewable Fuel Standard of displacing 20% of our nation’s petroleum consumption with renewable alternatives by 2022. It involves converting readily available vegetable oils and animal fats to alkane hydrocarbons that can be considered to be drop-in replacements for petroleum-based fuel components. The objective of the project was to develop a model process to produce renewable diesel from triglyceride feedstocks, such as vegetable oils, in a bench scale facility. Specifically, this study was to investigate the process conditions that affect the catalytic decarboxylation of fatty acids and esters without an external supply of hydrogen. Several heterogeneous catalysts were tested for their effectiveness of oxygen removal via decarboxylation. Palladium on activated carbon (Pd/C) was found to be the most reactive catalyst, and hence was used in further investigations on the effects of process conditions, including reaction time, operating temperature and pressure, solvent application, mixing intensity and catalyst application rate. Studies revealed that the reaction temperature is the most influential process parameter affecting the reactant conversion rate and the product yield. When the operating temperature was increased from 265°C to 300°C, the reactant conversion was increased from 54%mol to approximately 98%mol after one hour of reaction. The catalyst application rate also affects the decarboxylation rate. However, this effect levels off when the catalyst concentration is 8%wt, i.e., further increase in catalyst application beyond 8% by weight did not increase the process efficiency of decarboxylation significantly. The solvent to reactant mass ratio is also important because it affects the process productivity. It was found that the effects of operating pressure and mixing intensity were negligible under the conditions of investigation. Once the most influential process parameters were identified, an optimization of the process conditions for renewable diesel production from methyl stearate, the model compound for fatty acid esters, was attempted based on a 2³ full factorial central composite design (CCD). Experimental results revealed that there were no true optimal points on reactant conversion or desired product yield in the range of operating temperature (300°C - 340°C). Therefore, a conditional set of optimum process parameters were obtained instead. Under the pre-set targets of 85% product yield, the process parameters are a temperature of 355°C, a solvent to reactant mass ratio of 62:38, and a reaction time of 187 minutes. Experimental verification showed that this set of operating conditions led to a targeted product yield of 82.38±4.62%mol, very close to the expected 85%mol level. Experimental results showed that decarboxylation of mixed fatty acid methyl esters yielded a complex product mixture due to the presence of unsaturated methyl esters. Besides decarboxylation, other reactions, such as cracking of the unsaturated feedstock, also occurred. Further systematic investigation is needed to fully understand the chemical reactions and process parameters on the composition of the final product mixture. KW - Alternate fuels KW - Biodiesel fuels KW - Chemical reactions KW - Esters KW - Fuel processing KW - Optimization KW - Temperature KW - Vegetable oils UR - http://depts.washington.edu/pactrans/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/PacTrans-15-739436-Van-Gerpen-Jon-Small-Project.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1325000 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01541415 AU - Hoisington, David AU - Hamel, Scott AU - University of Alaska, Anchorage AU - Pacific Northwest Transportation Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Investigation of Anchor Nut Loosening in High-Mast Light Poles Using Field Monitoring and Finite Element Analysis PY - 2014/09/15/Final Project Report SP - 159p AB - High mast lighting poles (HMLPs) are cost effective structures for lighting highways and intersections. They are 100 to 250 feet (30m to 76m) tall, and can hold a variety of lamp configurations. They are commonly used at highway interchanges because a single unit effectively covers more area than the typical, approximately 30 foot (10m) tall, light poles. The Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (AKDOT&PF) maintains 104 such poles in the greater Anchorage area. One issue that has been observed by AKDOT&PF with HMLPs is anchor nut loosening. Anchor rods and their associated nuts are used to secure the HMLP base plate to the pole’s foundation. When they are tight, they allow the rods to transfer load from the HMLP to the foundation. The anchor nuts have been loosening on many HMLPs regardless of foundation type, pole height, lamp configuration, date of installation, number of anchor rods, rod diameter, or temperature during the time of installation. Any poles that have loose nuts undergo a re- tightening procedure outlined by the American Association of Highway Transportation Officials (AASHTO). From 2007-2011, 177 inspections were done on 104 poles. 54 of these inspections revealed loose anchor nuts. This program is too costly for the Department to continue indefinitely. The need for solutions for existing and yet to be installed poles is evident. To understand the behavior of HMLP foundations during tightening, strains were monitored in the anchor rods of two HMLPs. The first was tightened according to existing AASTHO provisions. The second modified those provisions based on the conclusions drawn from the first tightening. The strains in the rods of both HMLPs were monitored after their tightening procedures to try to capture anchor nuts loosening. The tightening procedures did not result in rod pretension magnitudes below existing recommendations. Some of the rods in the initial tightening procedure resulted in rods tightened above yield. Existing literature suggests that the recommended pretension magnitudes are adequate to prevent nearly all loosening in dynamic loading scenarios of low magnitude. This is how traditional loosening manifests itself, with the nut rotating due to vibratory effects. There are reports by AKDOT&PF personnel who indicated that nuts that were “loose” did not rotate from a position which was marked after tightening. The loss of clamp load without rotation of either clamping nut has been quantified in previous studies which showed that to simulate this nonlinear post-yield behavior, a complex model is required. This model must allow for contact interactions, friction between parts, nonlinear behavior, displacement based tightening, and force based loading. Finite-element (FE) modeling satisfies all these requirements in the most accurate way possible. An FE model was created of several HMLP foundation configurations, including the two whose tightening was monitored in the field. In addition to these scenarios, the effects of thickening the base plates, adding stiffeners to the poles, and using high strength anchor rods were analyzed. Significant clamp load loss due to post-yield effects was recreated in all of the scenarios. One such scenario had complete clamp load loss in five rods with a single application of a design wind load. Other scenarios were highly resistant to this type of clamp load loss. A number of conclusions were drawn from these studies. It is shown that when large diameter fasteners with short grip lengths are snug tightened without controlling the torque, they are likely to exceed the recommended snug tight pretension range. Final bolt pretensions would be more likely to fall within the desired range if the degree of rotation in the turn-of-the-nut method were adjusted for the grip length/rod diameter ratio. Clamp load loss due to permanent rod deformation is not affected by pretension magnitude (in F1554 grade 55 rods). The difference between the magnitude of external load required to cause complete clamp load loss in one rod, and that required to cause complete clamp load loss in several rods, is relatively small. Rods in double nut moment connections and high strength rods are less likely to experience clamp load loss due to permanent deformation. Recommendations for existing and yet to be installed HMLPs are presented based on these conclusions. KW - Alaska KW - Anchor bolts KW - Finite element method KW - High mast lighting KW - Maintenance KW - Nuts (Fasteners) KW - Poles (Supports) KW - Strain (Mechanics) UR - http://depts.washington.edu/pactrans/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/PacTrans-14-739439-Hamel-Scott-Small-Project.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1324998 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01541412 AU - Hurwitz, David S AU - Boyle, Linda AU - Abdel-Rahim, Ahmed AU - Brown, Shane AU - Pacific Northwest Transportation Consortium AU - Oregon State University, Corvallis AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Educating Teenage Drivers in the Pacific Northwest Regarding the Dangers of Distracted Driving PY - 2014/09/15/Final Project Report SP - 30p AB - The goal of this outreach project was to examine driver distraction among teenagers in the Pacific Northwest. Specifically, to identify secondary tasks they consider distracting and determine their self-reported engagement in those same secondary tasks while driving. A presentation was developed and administered to 1400 teenage drivers (approximately 500 participants in each of the three states Washington, Idaho, and Oregon). Of those participants, 1009 teenage drivers responded to a pre- and post-knowledge survey administered immediately before and two weeks after the presentation. The purpose of the survey was to measure the degree to which the demonstration improved teenage driver perspectives regarding the hazards of distracted driving. Results indicated that the presentation positively influence teenage driver perspectives regarding the dangers of distracted driving. KW - Before and after studies KW - Distraction KW - Idaho KW - Oregon KW - Outreach KW - Pacific Northwest KW - Safety education KW - Surveys KW - Teenage drivers KW - Washington (State) UR - http://depts.washington.edu/pactrans/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/PacTrans-7-739437-Hurwitz-David-Multi-Outreach.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1324886 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01541404 AU - Wen, Haifang AU - McLean, David I AU - Boyle, Spencer R AU - Spry, Timothy C AU - Mjelde, Danny G AU - Washington State University, Pullman AU - Pacific Northwest Transportation Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Laboratory Evaluation of Recycled Concrete As Aggregate in New Concrete Pavements PY - 2014/09/15/Final Project Report SP - 106p AB - The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) has initiated a research project to investigate the use of recycled concrete as aggregates (RCA) in Portland (hydraulic) cement concrete pavements (PCCP). The planned source for the RCA in the project will be from demolished pavements in western Washington, which generally contain very high-quality aggregates. Aggregate quality varies across the state, and concrete made with RCA sourced elsewhere will likely have different properties. This Pacific Northwest Transportation Consortium proposal is to expand the scope of the WSDOT project to include additional sources of RCA as well as evaluations of the RCA properties for the purpose of establishing performance criteria necessary for successful application in PCCP. The goal of the combined projects is to evaluate the use of RCA for widespread application in concrete pavements in Washington State and beyond. KW - Concrete aggregates KW - Concrete pavements KW - Evaluation KW - Performance measurement KW - Portland cement concrete KW - Properties of materials KW - Recycled materials KW - Washington (State) UR - http://depts.washington.edu/pactrans/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/PacTrans-22-739428-Wen-Haifang-Small-Project.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1325006 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01541218 TI - Recent Advances in Sustainable Winter Road Operations - A Book Proposal AB - Investing in winter transportation operations is essential and beneficial to the public and the economy. It is desirable to use the most recent advances in the application of materials, practices, equipment and other technologies. Such best practices are expected to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of winter operations, to optimize material usage, and to reduce associated annual spending and corrosion and environmental impacts. There are no professional societies or scientific journals or textbooks dedicated solely to sustainable winter road operations and the key information is scattered across a variety of disciplines. As more states are exploring the impacts of roadway deicers, including voluntary and regulatory controls to reduce their impacts, a project is timely to consolidate best practices and recent advances in sustainable winter road operations into a comprehensive book and help reduce the cost and environmental footprint associated with winter road operations. The objective of this project is to develop a book to summarize the recent advances in sustainable winter road operations. The project will engage the subject experts and stakeholders familiar with the multiple aspects and components of winter road operations and to collect much of the information in North America, Europe, and Asia on the state of the practice. This would provide a good foundation for developing the book chapters, each of which will be delivered by the identified subject experts and reviewed by the editors. This project will produce at least one presentation at the Transportation Research Board (TRB) annual meeting and a book to be published. To maximize its impact, a series of webinars will be developed and conducted as the chapters take shape. The project fits under the Center for Environmentally Sustainable Transportation in Cold Climates (CESTiCC) research thrust of "reducing environmental impacts during construction, operations and preservation through effective design, management and preservation strategies". It also meets the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) strategic goal in environmental sustainability as it helps "advance environmentally sustainable policies and investments that reduce harmful emissions from transportation sources". KW - Best practices KW - Deicing chemicals KW - Environmental impacts KW - Highway operations KW - Policy analysis KW - Sustainable development KW - Winter maintenance UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1328334 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01541217 TI - Bio-based Renewable Additives for Anti-Icing Applications AB - Relative to de-icing and sanding, anti-icing leads to improved level of service (LOS), reduced need for chemicals, and associated cost savings and safety and mobility benefits. Yet, the anti-icers available on the market are plagued by growing concerns over their corrosion to metals (chlorides), impact on concrete and asphalt (acetates), toxicity to the aquatic resources (agro-based products), etc. Agencies are constantly seeking for alternatives that maximize the benefits of acetates and agro-based products while minimizing their drawbacks. Meanwhile, research is needed for value-added utilization of desugared beet molasses and glycerol, which are the principal by-product of beet sugar refining and biodiesel production, respectively. The objective of this project is to develop innovative anti-icing formulations for snow and ice control on highways, using beet sugar refining by-products, glycerol, and other bio-based additives for freezing-point suppression, performance enhancement, and corrosion inhibition. This project will produce at least one paper for presentation at the Transportation Research Board (TRB) annual meeting and publication in a peer-reviewed journal. One patent application will be filed out of this project. Building on the success of this research, field operational tests will be conducted as part of a follow-up study. The team will work closely with transportation agencies to field test the new "green" anti-icers.The project fits under the Center for Environmentally Sustainable Transportation in Cold Climates (CESTiCC) research thrust of "reducing environmental impacts during construction, operations and preservation through effective design, management and preservation strategies". It also meets the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) strategic goal in environmental sustainability as it helps "advance environmentally sustainable policies and investments that reduce harmful emissions from transportation sources". Development of alternative anti-icing products serves the public interest, as such research is expected to generate significant cost savings for the DOTs and other maintenance agencies, traveler benefits in terms of improved safety and mobility, and societal benefits in reducing the amount of chlorides into the environment. The use of alternative products will greatly reduce corrosion and environmental impacts from winter roadway operations. This work provides maintenance agencies with more options in their snow and ice control toolbox for sustainable winter road service. The exploration of bio-based renewable additives for anti-icing applications would also add value to agricultural by-products and stimulate the local economy (e.g., the $50+ million Montana beet sugar industry). KW - Biodiesel fuels KW - Corrosion KW - Deicing chemicals KW - Environmental impacts KW - Level of service KW - Renewable energy sources KW - Runoff KW - Snow and ice control KW - Winter maintenance UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1328333 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01539726 AU - Brown, Shane AU - Hurwitz, David AU - Kyte, Michael AU - Hallenbeck, Mark AU - Perkins, Robert AU - Pacific Northwest Transportation Consortium AU - Oregon State University, Corvallis AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Digital Dissemination Platform of Transportation Engineering Education Materials PY - 2014/09/15/Final Project Report SP - 44p AB - National agencies have called for more widespread adoption of best practices in engineering education. To facilitate this sharing of practices a web-based system will be developed that will be used by transportation engineering educators to share curricular materials and methods. A research-based action oriented approach will be taken with iteration between development and studies of usability and adoptability of the system. The efforts described in this report are the first in two stages and include the development and testing of a pilot system, including research efforts that support the development, and the gathering of existing curricular materials to be uploaded to the system. Diffusion of Innovations (DI) Theory has been used extensively to study and implement the characteristics of a system that will facilitate its broad use by educators. This research and development effort will rely on DI theory, with a specific focus on characteristics of an innovation known to affect adoption. Understanding potential adopters’ experiences, opinions, and values enabled the initial development of the web-based repository’s architecture. Interviews with these individuals and a supplementary analysis of syllabi in relevant courses afforded the initial development of the web-based repository according to the tenets afforded by DI theory. The results of this study suggest tangible and direct means of addressing potential users’ perceptions about the repository and the materials included within it, such as managing the size of materials provided onsite and providing various ways of accessing the materials. Next steps in this project include one more sequence of usability and adoptability studies followed by the development and dissemination of PacTrans Transportation Education Resource Center (PTERC) to a broader audience. KW - Best practices KW - Curricula KW - Education KW - Information dissemination KW - Transportation engineering KW - Websites (Information retrieval) UR - http://depts.washington.edu/pactrans/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/PacTrans-6-739437-Brown-Shane-Multi-Education.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1324884 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01612158 AU - Abbas, Montasir AU - Mladenovic, Milos AU - Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg AU - Mid-Atlantic Universities Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - MADONNA’s Decision Support System and User Interface Enhancement for Workshops and Professional Development PY - 2014/09/14/Final Report SP - 27p AB - Transportation agencies need to go through a hard decision-making process while selecting the traffic signal controller that corresponds to the needs of their future signal systems. The complexity of this problem originates from the current level of controller standardization, market-driven competition, responsibility for long-term operation, and scale of investment. This report presents the results of a Mid-Atlantic University Transportation Center (MAUTC)-funded project to enhance and develop a user-friendly user interface for the Multi Attribute Decision-making Optimizer for Next-generation Network-upgrade and Assessment (MADONNA) framework, which emerged during a research project conducted to address upgrade needs raised by Virginia Northern Region Operations. The MADONNA framework is a tool for system-engineering assessment and upgrade of control hardware/software to improve the overall signal system performance. In this project, a decision-support system (DSS) for selecting traffic signal controllers based on an analytical hierarchy process was developed as an application in MS Excel. The main improvement in this DSS system compared to the authors’ previous work is the component for expert knowledge acquisition during the assignment of criteria weights. The graphical user interface and supporting analytical engine are based on fuzzy logic and were developed to enhance the expert knowledge acquisition. The application interface and the analytical engine are presented and are made available for Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) on-demand workshops. KW - Analytical hierarchy process KW - Continuing education KW - Decision support systems KW - Expert knowledge KW - Fuzzy logic KW - Graphical user interfaces KW - Microsoft Excel (Software) KW - Multi Attribute Decision-making Optimizer for Next-generation Network-upgrade and Assessment (MADONNA) KW - Traffic signal controllers KW - Virginia Department of Transportation KW - Workshops UR - http://www.mautc.psu.edu/docs/VT-2013-05.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1424201 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01544571 AU - O’Kelly, Morton E AU - NEXTRANS AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Air Freight Hubs and Fuel Use PY - 2014/09/10/Final Report SP - 16p AB - The aim of this project was to examine air express/freight to (1) come up with more accurate representation of the types of active links; (2) convert the links to aircraft movements; (3) make reasonable estimate of fuel/energy use by fleet operations; and (4) allocate the costs of these movements to hubs in a realistic way. Data on over 180,000 FedEx flights provide the basis for these calculations. An important finding is that various patterns in the air freight system are influenced by factors such as network hubs and geographical location. The study provides details for Memphis (MEM) and Indianapolis (IND) and shows the range of national and international links (MEM) as well as the interesting complementary role played by IND. KW - Air transportation KW - Aircraft KW - Costs KW - Freight service KW - Fuel consumption KW - Hubs KW - Indianapolis International Airport KW - Memphis International Airport UR - http://www.purdue.edu/discoverypark/nextrans/assets/pdfs/086OY04%20Air%20Freight%20Hubs%20and%20Fuel%20Use.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1330349 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01529470 AU - Zuschlag, Michael AU - Bürki-Cohen, Judith AU - Chandra, Divya C AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Aviation Administration TI - An Algorithm for Generating Data Accessibility Recommendations for Flight Deck Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) Applications PY - 2014/09/09/Final Report SP - 53p AB - Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) In technology supports the display of traffic data on Cockpit Displays of Traffic Information (CDTIs). The data are used by flightcrews to perform defined self-separation procedures, such as the in-trail procedure (ITP). Crews must have appropriate access to the data they need to perform the procedure. This report proposes an algorithm for determining whether data are satisfactorily accessible for each ADS-B task and procedure. Accessibility is defined as the effort of finding data on a visual display and looking directly at the data. The premise of the algorithm is that the more important the data for the procedure, the higher its recommended accessibility should be. The data’s importance depends on a combination of their criticality and update rate, which are determined by expert judgment. The algorithm generates tables indicating recommended virtual locations for the data on the CDTI. Examples of algorithm inputs and output are provided. Additional work is required to validate the algorithm output. If the algorithm works as intended, it can be used to answer questions about how the data should be shown on the CDTI and where the CDTI can be installed on the flight deck. KW - Air traffic control KW - Aircraft navigational aids KW - Aircraft separation KW - Algorithms KW - Automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast KW - Data collection KW - Flight decks KW - Information display systems UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/51000/51700/51712/DOT-VNTSC-FAA-14-09.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1311868 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01577873 TI - 2014-51 (OTHER) Program Implementation Assistance AB - Provide Program Implementation Assistance. KW - Highway planning KW - Implementation KW - Programming (Planning) KW - Technical assistance UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1371176 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01568405 TI - Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) based Traffic Monitoring and Management AB - The proposed study includes two phases: system development phase and field test phase. One key resource available to the investigation team is the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approved Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) test site expected to be operational by the summer of 2014. The test site is planned to be located in the East Jersey area, and currently covers stretches of two freeway systems: the Garden State Parkway and U.S. 9 along the New Jersey shoreline and arterial traffic system near Atlantic City. During the project period, the team is expected to conduct 7-8 field tests including UAV system testing (1 test), Waypoint optimization testing (2 tests), simulated incident site evaluation (1 test), traffic congestion video shooting (1 test), and actual field implementation tests (2-3 tests). With the flexibility and streamlined procedure of flight scheduling at the test site, the proposed research can ensure that the proposed system is calibrated and evaluated in real-world scenarios. The team will purchase and assemble a fitting UAV platform with sufficient payload and flying time capabilities to allow the deployment of video sensors and communication units. This is expected to conclude with 2-3 months of the project. The field evaluation of the Air-TIMS system will be conducted in collaboration with Traffic Incident Response crew at New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) responsible for the highways near the test sites so that the system can be tested in real-world conditions. KW - Cooperation KW - Drone aircraft KW - Field tests KW - Incident detection KW - New Jersey KW - Simulation KW - Traffic congestion KW - Traffic surveillance UR - https://cait.rutgers.edu/cait/research/unmanned-aerial-vehicle-uav-based-traffic-monitoring-and-management UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1359266 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01554054 TI - Designing and Analyzing Policies for Renewable Fuels AB - Federal and state policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the transportation section utilize several alternative policies to traditional pollution taxes and cap and trade programs. The programs aim to increase the utilization of clean, renewable fuel sources in the production of finished motor gasoline. Many of the policies currently in place are being proposed at the state and national level involve some variant of a mandate with the option of flexibility by allowing firms to generate the purchase credits for over- or uner- consumption of clean inputs. The two most prominent policies in place in the united states are the renewable fuel standard (RFS) at the national level and California's Low Carbon Fuels Standard (LCFS). Both policies are currently undergoing large changes, and major amendments to the programs are expected in the coming year. The proposed research seeks to provide a timely and policy relevant examination of the economics of the policies, the effects and effectiveness of various amendments to the programs, and the historical cost of the policies to the fuel industry. KW - Air quality management KW - California KW - Cap and trade program KW - Carbon KW - Fuel consumption KW - Greenhouse gases KW - Policy analysis KW - Pollutants KW - Renewable energy sources KW - Taxes UR - http://ncst.ucdavis.edu/ucd-dot-02/ UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1344615 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01554048 TI - Intercity Travel in Northeastern Non-metropolitan Regions: What Roles Do Information Access and Technology Services Play in Public and Shared Transport Modes? AB - Little is known about intercity travel behavior in non-metropolitan contexts. The primary objective of this work is to help fill that literature gap by examining the roles that information access and technology services play for long distance trips where public and shared transport modes (e.g., intercity buses, rail) are viable options along with private automobiles. This work will consider the ways in which users access route, schedule, and ticketing information, as well as the importance of various technology services (e.g., on board wifi and electrical outlets, email or text messaging travel updates, mobile apps, etc.) for different travelers making intercity mode choice decisions. This work will use an a priori market segmentation approach to determine the characteristics of the market segment(s) that value high quality information access and technology services. This work will consider both the literature on intercity travel as well as the roles of information access and technology services in determining mode choice for the selection of relevant latent factors. This work will use data from a unique and recently completed travel survey effort to model the influence that information access and technology services has on intercity travel mode choice. KW - Buses KW - Decision making KW - Information technology KW - Intercity travel KW - Mode choice KW - Rail transit KW - Travel behavior UR - http://ncst.ucdavis.edu/project/uvm-dot-07 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1344609 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01549658 TI - Live-Load Testing and Finite-Element Modeling of a Fracture Critical Bridge AB - The objective of this research is to determine the in-situ load rating of a fracture critical bridge over the Snake River in Idaho. This will be accomplished by performing a live load test and monitoring the response of the bridge. The data from live-load test will be used to quantify behavior and the influence of wider spacing (applicability of American Association of State Highway and Trasportation Officials (AASHTO) specifications), cross beams (not typical in an I-girder bridge) and cross bracing. A three-dimensional (3D) finite-element model of the bridge will then be created and validated with the live-load data. This model will then be used to obtain the load rating of the bridge and used to identify important parameters that influence the behavior of fracture critical bridges. KW - Bridges KW - Finite element method KW - Fracture critical members KW - Fracture mechanics KW - Idaho KW - Live loads KW - Load factor KW - Load tests KW - Mathematical models KW - Snake River UR - http://cait.rutgers.edu/cait/research/live-load-testing-and-finite-element-modeling-fracture-critical-bridge UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1339937 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01547312 TI - Implementation and Field Evaluation of Pretensioned Concrete Girder End Crack Control Methods AB - Wisconsin bulb tee girders and girders in other states experience characteristic cracking at girder ends during de-tensioning and during lifting from the forms. These cracks pose durability concerns as corrosive agents can reach steel reinforcement or strands through these cracks, increasing long term maintenance costs, and potentially compromising structural capacity. This proposal outlines an approach for deploying selected crack control methods into Wisconsin practice. The success of crack control methods will be evaluated by measuring strains and crack sizes in girders built with control methods and by visual observation of girder ends for cracks during fabrication and erection. Phase II work is critical to implement a solution for the end cracking. KW - Bulbtee girders KW - Concrete KW - Cracking KW - Fabrication KW - Field tests KW - Girders KW - Pretensioning KW - Structural analysis KW - Wyoming UR - http://www.wistrans.org/cfire/research/projects/09-22/ UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1334485 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01545228 TI - Effects of Heavy Vehicles on Dynamic Traffic Features AB - Traffic congestion on highways has been growing in urban areas where freight transportation hubs reside, affecting the efficiency and reliability of freight transportation. This research will investigate the effects of heavy vehicles on dynamic traffic patterns that substantially affect highway performance. To understand the underlying mechanisms, this research will analyze and model car-following and lane-change behavior involving heavy vehicles. These models will be used to simulate various traffic scenarios to examine the impact of heavy vehicles on bottleneck capacity drop and characteristics of stop-and-go oscillations. Potential impacts of Connected Vehicle technology for heavy vehicles will also be evaluated. Simulated vehicle trajectories will be used for obtaining travel time distributions for uncertainty assessment. The intent of this research is to help develop effective controls that can improve overall highway traffic operations while accommodating freight vehicles, an important step in improving the reliability of freight transportation. KW - Bottlenecks KW - Car following KW - Freight traffic KW - Heavy vehicles KW - Highway operations KW - Lane changing KW - Mobile communication systems KW - Traffic congestion KW - Traffic simulation KW - Travel time UR - http://www.wistrans.org/cfire/research/projects/09-08/ UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1332747 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01543634 TI - Trends in Cold Temperature Extremes and Winter Weather for the SPTC Region AB - Winter weather is consistently implicated in decreased road safety, disrupted freight and passenger transportation, and significant expenditure by state departments of transportation (DOTs) in de-icing treatments. Furthermore, cold-season temperature variability produces frequent freeze-thaw cycles, promoting advanced degradation of road surfaces. While future climate change is generally believed to produce decreased risk of extreme cold temperatures, regional mid-late 21st century projections for winter season meteorology and its variability remain uncertain and largely un-quantified. This project aims to quantify historical and future trends in winter precipitation (ice, snow and rainfall), cold air outbreaks (frequency, intensity), and freeze-thaw cycles for the southern plains region, much of which lies in a transitional winter weather environment. Regionally specific, relevant and accurate projections will be developed, which can be used by transportation researchers and professionals to meet specific planning and design goals in the adaptation of existing infrastructure to the changing climate. The project will utilize historical gridded meteorological datasets, including high-resolution North American Regional Reanalysis (NARR), 1979-2013, and lower-resolution National Center for Environmental Prediction-National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCEP-NCAR) reanalysis (1948-2013) to evaluate past and present climatologies and trends in the variables of interest. Transport-relevant thresholds for variables, including diurnal and multi-day freeze-thaw cycles, will be obtained. Winter precipitation types will be calculated from a well-established layer thickness methodology developed from atmospheric profile observations in the southern plains, and their relationship to cold air outbreaks will be analyzed. Statistical links between large-scale climate variability (e.g., El Niño) and trends in the calculated variables will be considered where appropriate. Future projections will be based on a suite of daily resolution CMIP5 (climate model inter-comparison project, used by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) models using representative emissions scenarios. Statistical methodology will be applied to identify trends, model uncertainty, and probabilistic assessments of future risk for the relevant variables. Simulations of the past and present climate will be assessed against the historical datasets in order to identify the best performing models for the region. Resulting data, graphical assessments and publications will be available to regional researchers, planners and other decision-makers. This type of study would be the first of its kind for the region, and would be of benefit across a broad range of sectors, covering the necessary "first step" in climate risk assessment. KW - Atmosphere KW - Climate change KW - Daily KW - Decision making KW - Deicing chemicals KW - Freeze thaw durability KW - Frigid regions KW - Highway safety KW - National Center for Atmospheric Research KW - Precipitation (Meteorology) KW - Risk assessment KW - Winter UR - http://southcentralclimate.org UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1331587 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01543123 TI - Safety Evaluation of Pavement Surface Characteristics with 1mm 3D laser Imaging AB - The hardware and software necessary to automatically obtain pavement safety data based on surface characteristics is limited to using separate traditional instruments that are only capable of measuring pavement characteristics in small areas. For instance, high-speed friction testers and macro-texture sensors can only collect data on a line on pavement; while high-precision friction and texture measurement instruments are usually static, time-consuming, and can only cover very small pavement areas. In addition, high-speed line-of-sight or point laser sensors for macro-texture measurement is based on decades' old design and electronics, and need substantial noise filtering to obtain signal data that is no longer as high-fidelity and high-resolution as needed for analysis. The PaveVision3D system can present surface defects in a visual and realistic format at 1 millimeter resolution in all 3 dimensions with complete lane coverage, even when the data collection speed is more than 60 miles per hour. In this research, data collected with PaveVision3D technology will be used to evaluate various benchmarks for surface characterization related to pavement safety. Pavement cross slope and edge falloff will be considered. Estimated Mean Texture Depth (MTD) and Mean Profile Depth (MPD) based on the 1 millimeter, three-dimensional (3D) data on any location of a pavement lane, including but not limited to wheel-paths, will be automatically calculated. The PAVDRN model will be used as a basis for this research effort for automated prediction of hydroplaning speeds for a pavement network. It uses a one-dimensional steady state form of the kinematic wave equation to estimate the water film depth (WFD). The program also uses a condensation of formulas to determine a relationship between velocity at which hydroplaning initiates and WFD. Subsequent model modifications will be made to allow for more flexible and accurate modeling of the hydroplaning occurrence in real-world situations. Further, considerations in new model development will be given to extreme weather conditions such as long-lasting drought or unusually high levels of rain fall. The research outcomes will be particularly important when extreme weather conditions cause substantial water on the pavement surface that contribute to hydroplaning conditions. KW - Highway safety KW - Hydroplaning KW - Laser imaging KW - Lasers KW - Mathematical models KW - Surface course irregularities KW - Texture UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1330045 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01539971 TI - Land Use Master Planning for Environmental Sustainability AB - A growing movement recognizes that patterns of land use and development have long-term environmental, social, and economic consequences. Sustainable land use planning, or Smart Growth, can shape vibrant communities, build strong economies, and foster a healthy environment. In addition to comprehensive growth plans, many state and local governments have developed Smart Growth scorecards or assessment tools to help decision-makers evaluate the extent to which land use plans and policies meet their criteria for Smart Growth. These scorecards can help local jurisdictions evaluate the effectiveness of their land use planning and development goals and establish a policy agenda or framework for sustainability. While the Office of Sustainable Communities at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) has collected and organized a wide variety of municipal-level and project-specific scorecards, developed by a number of state and local governments, there has not been an evaluation of Smart Growth scorecards. An evaluation of Smart Growth scorecards is needed to determine best practices that can help jurisdictions of all sizes establish a policy agenda or framework for sustainability. The Mid-Atlantic Transportation Sustainability Center University Transportation Center (MATS UTC) research team, led by the University of Delaware (UD), proposes to help fill this gap in the literature with exploratory research on of the use of Smart Growth scorecards as the basis of evaluating community sustainability goals that are set forth in comprehensive plans. A review and assessment of "best practice" smart growth scorecards will be conducted for states and select urban, suburban, and rural local government jurisdictions with the UTC Region 3 area. This approach broadly reflects smart growth principles and represents a significant advancement in the field of the implementation of smart growth techniques and tools. These innovations have great potential impact on designing and testing a scorecard tool for citizens and decision makers to determine whether or not a community is growing smart and implementing policy changes based on scorecard responses. Researchers from UD and Marshall University (MU) will conduct research from a multi-disciplinary perspective. Scott, a public policy scientist with UD's Institute for Public Administration (IPA), and Li, a civil engineer with the Delaware Center for Transportation, will focus their applied research efforts by analyzing Smart Growth planning and assessment tools that support community sustainability and drafting case studies. Dayan, the geospatial sciences program manager with MU's Rahall Transportation Institute, has worked to develop strategic approaches to foster sustainability of rural communities. She will assist by analyzing the applicability of Smart Growth assessment tool criteria to rural communities and drafting rural community Smart Growth case studies. Project outcomes will be implemented and disseminated in several ways. First, a literature review will be conducted to provide a critical examination of state and local government-level scorecards being utilized in the UTC Region 3 area. The literature review will identify scorecard "best practices"--in terms of (1) assessment processes (2) criteria being used to evaluate community sustainability, and (3) the extent to which scorecards are applicable to urban, suburban, or rural communities. A matrix will be prepared to summarize aspects of best practice scorecards being used by states and a sampling of urban, suburban and rural local governments in the Region 3 area. Finally, case studies will be prepared that highlight practical application of Smart Growth scorecards at state and local government levels. Outcomes of the research will be summarized in a whitepaper that will be available for dissemination electronically. Second, an analysis of best practice scorecards will be conducted to develop a framework for an assessment tool/scorecard that can be used for sustainable land use planning in the State of Delaware. A scorecard/assessment tool will be developed that will be a synthesis of identified best practices and be adjusted to reflect the policies and regulatory landscape of the State. Communities outside of Delaware will benefit from the basic strategy outlined in the scorecard, but will be tailored for use by Delaware local governments. The proposed scorecard approach will be evaluated before it becomes widely available for use to ensure its quality. The evaluation will make sure that the approach is useful to the community and achieves its intended objectives. Once tested, the scorecard will be available online via IPA's Delaware Complete Communities Planning Toolbox and training will be provided via IPA's Planning Education Training program. Finally, the broader impact of the project will be further expanded to reach audiences ranging from university educators to land use/transportation/environmental planning practitioners, to students. Educational goals of the project will be achieved by 1) enhancing students' knowledge and competence in the area of environmental sustainability and 2) providing local government professionals and decision makers with a simple and easy-to-use broad assessment tool for community sustainability. This project is a viable subject for a webinar, which will provide a better understanding of how these research results can be implemented such as 1) the challenges and opportunities of planning for "environmentally sustainable" land uses; 2) the current state of knowledge related to smart growth and development; and 3) the effectiveness of using scorecards to assess proposed smart growth project/policies. The audience for this webinar includes: planning professionals, land use managers/consultants, transportation planners and engineers, elected officials and local government leaders, members of the media, and academics. A variety of tools are used by IPA (www.ipa.udel.edu and www.completecommunitiesde.org), Delaware Center for Transportation (http://sites.udel.edu/dct), and Marshall University (www.njrati.org/research) to help disseminate research results to researchers and practitioners from the public and private sectors (e.g., respective websites, E-mail lists, newsletters, and social media). Final products of this project will be 1) a whitepaper that summarizes outcomes of the literature review and assessment of "best practice" Smart Growth Scorecards in Region 3, 2) development of a scorecard tool for the State of Delaware, which will be tested prior to use and designed to be broadly applied to other jurisdictions, and 3) guidelines for using the scorecard tool as a framework to help communities assess their sustainable land use planning and smart growth practices. A key issue for community sustainability is the relationship between land use, transportation, and environmental planning. Conventionally, transportation planning has been conducted at a state or regional level while land use planning and decision-making has been made at the local level. The evaluation smart growth scorecards being used at the state and local levels will identify examples of "best practices" in terms of both the assessment tool and criteria being used to evaluate sustainable policies and practices. In addition, identifying aspects of/criteria for "best practice" Smart Growth scorecards can provide a framework for local jurisdictions that seek to develop their own assessment tools. The benefit of this approach is that the scorecard is a simple, efficient, and easy-to-use broad assessment tool that allows communities to collaboratively assess whether they have the right tools in place to handle projected smart growth and future development. This approach encourages a collaborative dialogue and active engagement among local citizens and community stakeholders who wish to provide input on public policy decisions that may lead to smart growth pr KW - Best practices KW - Case studies KW - Delaware KW - Economic development KW - Environmental impacts KW - Innovation KW - Land use planning KW - Policy analysis KW - Smart growth KW - Sustainable development KW - Urban development UR - http://www.matsutc.org/land-use-master-planning-for-environmental-sustainability/ UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1326497 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01537881 TI - Satellite Assessment and Monitoring for Pavement Management AB - To minimize obstruction to the traffic, this project aims to carry out investigation of the capability of remote sensing satellite data, including Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellite data for use in advanced infrastructure monitoring, which is a tangible breakthrough in sensing technology allowing to assess pavement deformations with millimetric accuracy on single specific points. SAR is an efficient tool for evaluation of traffic and environmental impact on pavements and is based on the use of a time series of satellite radar images. By bringing the SAR dataset into a geographic information system (GIS) database, the research team is able to correlate average displacement velocities of SAR data points with respect to their proximity to mapped surface distresses, such as rutting, cracking, pot holes and eventually replace the cumbersome and inefficient periodic inspection-based infrastructure monitoring system with continuous SAR-based system KW - Condition surveys KW - Cracking KW - Geographic information systems KW - Monitoring KW - Pavement management systems KW - Remote sensing KW - Rutting KW - Satellite communication KW - Synthetic Aperture Radar UR - https://cait.rutgers.edu/cait/research/satellite-assessment-and-monitoring-pavement-management UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1324260 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01530184 TI - Effectiveness of In-Vehicle Virtual Traffic Control Devices AB - Traffic Control Devices (TCD) are used to communicate regulatory, warning, and guidance information to roadway users through signs and pavement markings. Research has shown that the ability of drivers to recognize post-mounted signs is adversely affected by other vehicles, (especially trucks) and visual clutter. Over the years, researchers have studied the use of head-up display (HUD) in vehicles to display complementary information to drivers regarding the road environment. Each vehicle manufacturer provides their own version of the technology and focus primarily on speed, navigation, and vehicle warnings such as crash avoidance and lane departure. With current advances in technology, and the market penetration of "infotainment" systems, the roadway of the future could be a sign-less one, or at least one with limited sign use. The objective of this project is to study the effectiveness of non-traditional in-vehicle displays such as HUD and dash-mounted screens in communicating existing TCD information to drivers by studying how subjects navigate on a sign-less roadway. The behavior of drivers on a sign-less road will be compared to the behavior of a group of drivers that navigate a road with traditional Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) compliant signing. A full-scale driving simulator, instrumented with non-traditional in-vehicle displays, and eye tracking equipment, is proposed as the experimental platform. KW - Driver information systems KW - Driving simulators KW - Head up displays KW - Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices KW - Mobile communication systems KW - Technological innovations KW - Traffic control devices KW - Traffic signs UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1315592 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01530183 TI - Driving Simulators for Virtual Road Safety Audits AB - Road safety audits (RSAs) are becoming more prevalent as a low cost, pro-active approach to designing and maintaining roadways. A typical RSA is performed to explicitly check the safety aspects of a road by an independent group of experts from different disciplines during any part of the life of the road (feasibility, project assessment, final design, pre-opening, and existing). A number of challenges exist with the RSA process, especially when auditing existing elements of the transportation system. Specifically, RSAs do not capture the dynamics of driving, along with an evaluation of driver comprehension and driver behavior, critical components that must be evaluated when a safety problem exists. Driving simulators may provide the tool needed to add the dynamic and human factors components to the RSA process. The objectives of the proposed research are to demonstrate the use of a driving simulator for conducting virtual road safety audits (VRSAs) and study how VRSA can supplement traditional RSA. KW - Behavior KW - Driving simulators KW - Highway design KW - Highway safety KW - Human factors in crashes KW - Virtual reality UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1315591 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599877 AU - Squire, Devin AU - Heaslip, Kevin AU - Utah State University, Logan AU - Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Development for Transportation Asset Management Inventory & Management Tools PY - 2014/09//Final Report SP - 168p AB - Mobile technology is becoming more and more pervasive within the consumer industry. Devices such as smartphones and tablets are able to relay information effectively and affordably either with or without an accompanying cellular connectivity plan. The effect of this technology is slowly making its way through the corporate world. Recognizing that this technology has the potential to affect workflow practices within a Department of Transportation, this report first presents two mobile applications to address specific areas of concern identified within the Utah Department of Transportation. The first application creates a living directory that provides specific information regarding employees, equipment, and location within maintenance shed locations throughout the state of Utah. The second application provides a seamless method of information transfer as it relates to traffic signs from the field directly to central servers in an effort to reduce data loss and corruption. In order to facilitate a determination of effectiveness, the second aspect of this report develops a framework through which the developed applications can be deemed as either effective or ineffective given indicators of fit, viability, usability, and productivity. These areas are assessed using a defined survey that presents users of the mobile applications with a series of questions relevant to each of the four indicators. The surveys are then analyzed through both descriptive and inferential statistical methods in order to provide a conclusion of effectiveness. Because they seek to develop a basic framework, the concepts and practices presented in this report can be used as a guide for the assessment of other mobile applications as they become available. As such, the application of this framework will allow agencies to confidently incorporate mobile technology into everyday work practices. KW - Asset management KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Information dissemination KW - Inventory KW - Maintenance management KW - Mobile applications KW - Smartphones KW - Statistical analysis KW - Surveys KW - Traffic signs KW - Utah Department of Transportation UR - https://cait.rutgers.edu/files/CAIT-UTC-002-final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1407815 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01574075 AU - Sheppard, Eric AU - Khaikine, Vitali AU - Jagasivamani, Vadivel AU - Hampton University AU - National Center for Intermodal Transportation for Economic Competitiveness AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Intermodal Transportation Infrastructure Interactions: Utilizing Acoustic Emission and other Non-Destructive Evaluation Technologies PY - 2014/09//Final Report SP - 17p AB - This project studied application of acoustic emission (AE) technology to perform structural health monitoring of highway bridges. Highway bridges are a vital part of transportation infrastructure and there is need for reliable non-destructive methods to monitor their structural condition to ensure safety and efficiency. Many factors lead to the deterioration of highway bridges, including aging, extreme events such as natural disasters, other hazards including negligence, improper maintenance, and collisions, and, most importantly, operational loads from the increased freight transportation truck weights. A candidate structure – a steel girder bridge crossing of the Interstate I-64 over the Route 165 Kempsville Road in Norfolk, VA, was selected for this study. This bridge has a known, visually identified defect on girder 9 – crack in the stiffener-to-girder connection weld. Therefore this work concentrated on the AE analysis of girder 9 of this bridge and girder 8 of this structure was taken up for comparison. AE activity was found to be occurring in both girders 8 and 9 of the steel girder bridge selected for this study. There was weak AE activity reported in girder 8 and this activity exhibited no increase during the period of this research. On the other hand, girder 9 of this bridge was found to be experiencing significantly stronger levels of AE activity which noticeably increased during the same period. The majority of the girder 9 AE activity sources were determined to be located in the vicinity of sensors 3, 4, and 5, which is where the visually identified crack exists on the girder. It was confirmed that the AE technique is capable of revealing material defects in steel girder bridges and is suitable for conducting long-term monitoring of structural safety to reduce and prioritize maintenance efforts. KW - Acoustic emission KW - Acoustic emission tests KW - Cracking KW - Girders KW - Highway bridges KW - Norfolk (Virginia) KW - Structural health monitoring UR - http://www.ncitec.msstate.edu/wp-content/uploads/2012-29FR.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1363643 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01570329 AU - Glisic, Branko AU - Schumacher, Thomas AU - Betti, Raimondo AU - Princeton University AU - Rutgers University, Piscataway AU - New Jersey Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Multi-Sensor Sheets Based on Large-Area Electronics for Advanced Structural Health Monitoring of Civil Infrastructure PY - 2014/09//Final Report SP - 37p AB - Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) has a great potential to provide valuable information about the actual structural condition and can help optimize the management activities. However, few effective and robust monitoring technology exist which hinders a nationwide use of SHM in on-site application for structural condition evaluations. The objective of this research was to develop and evaluate a prototype of a novel multi-sensor sheet that is inexpensive, can be equipped with a variety of different sensors, easy to fabricate and deploy, and which provides densely spaced quantitative measurements from large areas of a structure. This sheet is based on technology called large-area electronics and consists of dense arrays of sensors supporting several different electronic components (interconnects, circuits, batteries, etc.) that are patterned or laminated on a polyimide substrate. The sensors that can be incorporated in this sheet are, for example, strain gauges, temperature and humidity sensors, and piezoelectric transducers. At this stage, the development focused on strain sensors and piezoelectric transducers to address the challenges presented above. The design principles for sensing sheet were created. Prototypes were manufactured and successfully tested in laboratory under fatigue crack condition. Different configurations of sensors were tested to assess their performances. Data analysis algorithms were elaborated. The project description and outcomes are presented in detail in the report. KW - Algorithms KW - Design KW - Fatigue cracking KW - Laboratory tests KW - Piezoelectric transducers KW - Sensors KW - Sheets KW - Strain (Mechanics) KW - Structural health monitoring UR - https://cait.rutgers.edu/files/CAIT-UTC-025-final.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/55000/55200/55237/CAIT-UTC-025-final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1359777 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01560901 AU - Tutumluer, Erol AU - Sarker, Priyanka AU - University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign AU - NEXTRANS AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Development of Improved Pavement Rehabilitation Procedures Based on FWD Backcalculation PY - 2014/09//Final Report SP - 83p AB - Hot Mix Asphalt (HMA) overlays are among the most effective maintenance and rehabilitation alternatives in improving the structural as well as functional performance of flexible pavements. HMA overlay design procedures can be based on: (1) engineering judgment, (2) pavement component analysis, (3) non-destructive testing (NDT) with limiting defection criteria, and (4) mechanistic-empirical analysis and design. Although different state highway agencies have different methodologies in designing HMA overlay thickness, design procedures are more or less following or modifying the 1993 American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Pavement Design Guide procedure, which is an empirical based approach using the structural deficiency concept and generally listed in above categories 1 and 2. The lack of mechanical testing for evaluating the structural conditions of existing, in-service pavements often leads to unsafe and uneconomical practices as far as the rehabilitation of low volume roads is concerned. This research study presents a mechanistic-empirical (M-E) approach for overlay thickness designs of flexible pavements through a combination of NDT and pre-established pavement damage models. Structural conditions of a number of in-service pavement sections were tested in the field using a Falling Weight Deflectometer (FWD) test device. The required overlay thicknesses of the field pavement sections were then determined using two different methods currently used by local agencies, and the newly developed M-E Overlay Design method. The M-E Overlay Design Method mechanistically backcalculates pavement layer moduli and critical pavement responses due to FWD loading using advanced materials characterization and layered analysis solutions, and then compares them to threshold pavement responses for the fatigue cracking and rutting pavement damage criteria according to pre-established pavement damage algorithms. KW - Falling weight deflectometers KW - Field tests KW - Flexible pavements KW - Hot mix asphalt KW - Illinois KW - Mechanistic-empirical pavement design KW - Nondestructive tests KW - Overlays (Pavements) KW - Pavement maintenance KW - Rehabilitation (Maintenance) KW - Thickness UR - http://www.purdue.edu/discoverypark/nextrans/assets/pdfs/Tutumluer_NEXTRANS_094IY04_Final%20Report_01-22-2015.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1349697 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01560333 AU - Biton, Anna AU - Daddio, David AU - Andrew, James AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Statewide Pedestrian and Bicycle Planning Handbook PY - 2014/09//Final Report SP - 94p AB - This handbook is designed to help State departments of transportation (DOTs) develop or update State pedestrian and bicycle plans. Based on research including interviews with nine State DOTs and critical evaluations of documents from 15 States, this handbook covers statewide planning from plan inception and scoping to engaging stakeholders and the general public; developing goals, objectives and strategies; collecting and analyzing data; linking to the larger statewide transportation planning process; and implementation. For each stage of the planning process, this handbook uses recent experiences and noteworthy practices from DOTs around the country, helping inform a new generation of statewide nonmotorized planning and implementation. KW - Bicycle travel KW - Bicycling KW - Handbooks KW - Nonmotorized transportation KW - Pedestrians KW - Plan implementation KW - Planning KW - State departments of transportation KW - State of the practice UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/54000/54500/54587/Ped-Bike_State_Planning_Handbook.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1344678 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01556463 AU - Hans, Zachary AU - Hawkins, Neal AU - Gkritza, Konstantina AU - Shaheed, Mohammad AU - Nlenanya, Inya AU - Iowa State University, Ames AU - Iowa Department of Transportation AU - Mid-America Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Safety and Mobility Impacts of Winter Weather – Phase 3 PY - 2014/09//Final Report SP - 86p AB - Highway agencies spend millions of dollars to ensure safe and efficient winter travel. However, the effectiveness of winter-weather maintenance practices on safety and mobility are somewhat difficult to quantify. Safety and Mobility Impacts of Winter Weather - Phase 1 investigated opportunities for improving traffic safety on state-maintained roads in Iowa during winter-weather conditions. In Phase 2, three Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) high-priority sites were evaluated and realistic maintenance and operations mitigation strategies were also identified. In this project, site prioritization techniques for identifying roadway segments with the potential for safety improvements related to winter-weather crashes, were developed through traditional naïve statistical methods by using raw crash data for seven winter seasons and previously developed metrics. Additionally, crash frequency models were developed using integrated crash data for four winter seasons, with the objective of identifying factors that affect crash frequency during winter seasons and screening roadway segments using the empirical Bayes technique. Based on these prioritization techniques, 11 sites were identified and analyzed in conjunction with input from Iowa DOT district maintenance managers and snowplow operators and the Iowa DOT Road Weather Information System (RWIS) coordinator. KW - Bayes' theorem KW - Crash rates KW - High risk locations KW - Highway safety KW - Iowa KW - Traffic crashes KW - Winter KW - Winter maintenance UR - http://matc.unl.edu/assets/documents/matcfinal/Hans_SafetyandMobilityImpactsofWinterWeather-Phase3.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1344947 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01555792 AU - Betti, Raimondo AU - Columbia University AU - Rutgers University, Piscataway AU - New York State Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Combining Model Based and Data Based Techniques in a Robust Bridge Health Monitoring Program PY - 2014/09//Final Report SP - 59p AB - Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) aims to analyze civil, mechanical and aerospace systems in order to assess incipient damage occurrence. In this project, the authors are concerned with the development of an algorithm within the SHM paradigm for application to civil engineering structures. Vibration-based techniques are the ones considered to be the most appropriate to perform SHM of civil engineering structures. They are based on the premise that damage will alter the properties of the structure, which will be manifested in its dynamic response. Thus, by measuring and analyzing the vibration response time histories it will be possible to detect such changes. A “mixed” approach to vibration based SHM is explored in this project, combining the comparative advantages provided by “model based” and solely “data based” techniques. A damage sensitive feature (DSF) is defined using experimental modal parameters which may be obtained from operational/ambient vibration response of the structure. This DSF is proportional to the relative change in any diagonal element of the stiffness matrix of a model of the structure, with structural damage being represented as localized stiffness reduction. Although the DSF is derived in a model-based setting, necessary parametric modeling assumptions are kept to a minimum. The DSFs extracted from measured vibration response data are used to perform damage assessment in a statistical pattern recognition (data-based) framework, using empirical complementary cumulative distribution functions (ECCDFs) of the DSFs. The inherent statistical nature of the framework allows for uncertainties induced by measurement noise, environmental/ambient effects etc. Methods are discussed to perform a three-fold probabilistic structural health assessment: (a) “Is there a change in the current state of the structure compared to the baseline state?”, (b) “Does the change indicate a localized stiffness reduction or increase?”, with the latter representing a situation of verification of retrofitting operations, and (c) “What is the severity of the change in a probabilistic sense?”. Particular effort is made to account for “non-damage” related structural variations, induced, for example, by diurnal temperature changes, using lower and upper bound ECCDFs to define the baseline structural state. Such an approach is intended to decouple normal structural variations from damage induced changes. The damage assessment procedure is discussed using numerical simulations of ambient vibration testing of a bridge deck system, considering both complete and partial instrumentation scenarios. KW - Algorithms KW - Bridges KW - Damage assessment KW - Dynamic response (Structures) KW - Structural health monitoring KW - Vibration UR - https://cait.rutgers.edu/files/CAIT-UTC-015-final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1342960 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01554364 AU - Fine, Alisa AU - Colton, Paige AU - Cotton, Ben AU - Futcher, Emily AU - Middleton, Scott AU - Merrefield, Clark AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Geospatial Tools for Data-Sharing: Case Studies of Select Transportation Agencies PY - 2014/09 SP - 80p AB - This report explores how State Departments of Transportation (DOTs) and other transportation agencies are developing and using geospatial tools, including Geographic Information Systems (GIS), to support increased collaboration and improved information-sharing. These objectives are associated with the Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA) Geospatial Data Collaboration (GDC) initiative, which encourages State DOTs and others to use geospatial tools to streamline and improve transportation decision-making. This report provides examples of GIS and geospatial tools that support GDC objectives from 21 State DOTs and one non-profit organization. The examples comprise a spectrum of activities that include collecting geospatial data, integrating or consolidating geospatial data into a common framework, developing standards and common formats for these data, accessing these data, and using these data to better communicate with stakeholders. KW - Case studies KW - Cooperation KW - Data collection KW - Data sharing KW - Geographic information systems KW - State departments of transportation KW - Technological innovations UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/54000/54400/54469/GeoSpatialToolsForDataSharingCaseStudies.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1342278 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01551296 AU - Steve, Kenneth AU - Parker, Julie AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Highlights of Ferry Operators in the United States PY - 2014/09//Special Report SP - 8p AB - Ferries provide links for commuters in major metropolitan areas and offer a means of transportation across bodies of water not easily served by bridges or tunnels. Ferries are also used for emergency evacuations in times of disaster, natural or otherwise. Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21) (Public Law 112-141, section 1121(a)) set aside $67 million in 2013 and 2014 for the maintenance and improvement of the Nation’s ferry system. It also required the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to use the Bureau of Transportation Statistics’ (BTS) National Census of Ferry Operators (NCFO) data to set the specific formula for allocating Federal ferry funds. This report highlights the findings of the 2010 NCFO. The current census is now being administered with a preliminary data release scheduled for the fall of 2014. Data for the current census will be finalized by winter 2014 with an updated report issued in the spring of 2015. KW - Ferries KW - Ferry service KW - Ferry terminals KW - Passenger traffic KW - Revenues KW - Statistics KW - United States UR - http://www.rita.dot.gov/bts/sites/rita.dot.gov.bts/files/HighlightsFerryOperators.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1339998 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01548587 AU - Qin, Nan AU - Raissi, Ali AU - Brooker, Paul AU - Electric Vehicle Transportation Center (EVTC) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Analysis of Fuel Cell Vehicle Developments PY - 2014/09 SP - 11p AB - A fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV) is a type of electric vehicle that uses a fuel cell to power its electric motor. FCEVs are targeted to provide customers with the benefits of battery electric vehicles such as low to zero emission, high performance, and low maintenance, without compromising range and refill time. This report investigated over a hundred FCEV models that have been developed in the past fifty years. A historic timeline of FCEV development was presented. The fuel cell powertrain configurations and fuel cell sizes of these FCEV models were statistically studied. The analysis reveals that for pure fuel cell cars, most of the fuel cell sizes range from 80-100 kW, while for fuel cell/battery hybrid cars, the fuel cell sizes range from 20 to 100 kW. KW - Fuel cell vehicles KW - Fuel cells KW - History KW - Hybrid automobiles KW - Power trains KW - Statistical analysis UR - http://fsec.ucf.edu/en/publications/pdf/fsec-cr-1987-14.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1334943 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01545583 AU - Furman, Burford AU - Fabian, Lawrence AU - Ellis, Sam AU - Muller, Peter AU - Swenson, Ron AU - Mineta Transportation Institute AU - California Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Automated Transit Networks (ATN): A Review of the State of the Industry and Prospects for the Future PY - 2014/09//Final Report SP - 240p AB - This study explains Automated Transit Networks (ATN) technology, setting it in the larger context of Automated Guideway Transit (AGT). It looks at the current status of ATN suppliers, the status of the ATN industry, and the prospects of a U.S.-based ATN industry. Proceedings from seven Podcar City conferences held since 2006 are summarized. The report discusses how ATN could expand the coverage of existing transit systems and explores the challenges in planning and funding ATN systems. It concludes with a summary of the existing challenges and opportunities for ATN technology. The study is intended to be an informative tool for planners, urban designers, and those involved in public policy, especially for urban transit, to provide a reference for history and background on ATN, and to use for policy development and research. KW - Automated guideway transit KW - Financing KW - Markets KW - Personal rapid transit KW - Procurement KW - Suppliers KW - Transportation planning UR - http://transweb.sjsu.edu/PDFs/research/1227-automated-transit-networks.pdf UR - https://merritt.cdlib.org/d/ark%3A%2F13030%2Fm5bp1gxn/1/producer%2F892222974.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1323833 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01545575 AU - Nassif, Hani AU - Ozbay, Kaan AU - Lou, Peng AU - Su, Dan AU - Mineta National Transit Research Consortium AU - Rutgers University, Piscataway AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Fatigue Evaluation of the Increased Weight Limit on Transit Railway Bridges PY - 2014/09 SP - 64p AB - The recent increase of freight railcar weight limits from 263,000 lbs. to 286,000 lbs. raises concerns for the safety of bridges on transit passenger rail systems, since they were not designed for this weight increase. This study introduces an accurate approach to ascertaining the remaining fatigue life of steel railway bridges. Results indicate that heavy freight cars have a significant effect on critical locations near bridge supports. The introduction of heavier rail equipment will have a much more significant effect on span lengths of less than 60 ft. than on long spans. This will allow transit operators or agencies to prioritize and schedule repairs and rehabilitation. An increase of 1,000 freight trains per year will shorten the remaining fatigue life by approximately two years. The relationship between annual freight train frequency and remaining fatigue life could help transit operators or agencies to balance the tradeoff between economic benefit and bridge rehabilitation cost. KW - Distributions (Statistics) KW - Fatigue (Mechanics) KW - Maintenance KW - Methodology KW - New Jersey Transit Corporation (NJ Transit) KW - Rail transit KW - Railroad bridges KW - Rehabilitation (Maintenance) KW - Steel bridges KW - Structural health monitoring KW - Weight UR - http://transweb.sjsu.edu/PDFs/research/1143-rail-weight-bridge-fatigue.pdf UR - https://merritt.cdlib.org/d/ark%3A%2F13030%2Fm55x3q4v/1/producer%2F892429538.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1324677 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01544623 AU - Jordan, Craig AU - Cetin, Mecit AU - TranLIVE AU - Old Dominion University AU - U.S. Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Improving Travel Times for Emergency Response Vehicles: Traffic Control Strategies Based on Connected Vehicles Technologies PY - 2014/09//Final Report SP - 43p AB - This research is focused on developing and evaluating new traffic control strategies to enable emergency response vehicles (EVs) to travel in transportation networks as quickly as possible while the disruption to the rest of the traffic is kept to a minimum. Providing the best possible route or trajectory for an EV depends on the traffic conditions, the type of roadway, and other relevant factors. For instance, under light traffic on multilane highways, vehicles equipped with Vehicle-to-Vehicle (V2V) communications can be alerted to clear a particular lane to allow the EV to pass by at its desired speed. If the lanes are wide enough or there is a wide shoulder, vehicles can also be directed to move to the shoulder to provide the EV an unobstructed path. However, under congested conditions on roadways with narrow lanes, enabling the EV to traverse the road at high speeds may not be trivial since there is no obvious solution to clear a lane for the EV. In this research, new methods and traffic control strategies are developed to optimize the travel time of an EV in a transportation network with signalized intersections. It will be assumed that regular vehicles have communications capabilities and comply with the alert messages sent by the EV. The proposed strategies are evaluated in microscopic simulation software (e.g., VISSIM). KW - Emergency vehicles KW - Microscopic traffic flow KW - Optimization KW - Route guidance KW - Signalized intersections KW - Traffic control KW - Traffic simulation KW - Travel time KW - Vehicle to vehicle communications UR - http://www.uidaho.edu/~/media/Files/orgs/ENGR/Research/NIATT/TranLIVE/Final%20Reports/ODU_TranLIVE_Final%20Report_Impove%20Travel%20Times UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1329805 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01543674 AU - Raustad, Richard AU - Fairey, Philip AU - University of Central Florida, Orlando AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Electric Vehicle Life Cycle Cost Assessment PY - 2014/09 SP - 27p AB - This report has three objectives: to develop a life cycle cost (LCC) model for automotive vehicles that accurately evaluates electric vehicle types, to allow for any user to download and use the developed LCC model, and to evaluate photovoltaics (PV) as a power option for electric vehicles. The most important part of the work is the LCC model that compares ownership costs, on a present value and an annual cost basis, of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV) and battery electric vehicles (BEV) as compared to conventional internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles for an average number of miles driven per year. The analysis uses actual cost values for 16 production vehicles all sold in the United States. The LCC model includes the vehicle costs of purchase price with federal incentives, if any; salvage value; fuel consumption (electricity and liquid fuel); tires; insurance; maintenance; state tax; and financed interest payments. The vehicles considered are hybrid electric vehicles, PHEVs, and BEVs as compared to ICEs using gasoline, ethanol, or diesel. It is noted that the traction battery replacement costs for electric vehicles are difficult to ascertain, yet they are included in the analysis by replacing the batteries in the 11th year in order to investigate the battery impact on overall costs. Economic factors used in the LCC include differing rates for inflation, discount, and fuel escalation and battery degradation in the electric vehicles to account for battery energy depletion over time. The LCC is performed over a 5-, 10-, or 15-year lifetime period. For the specific case of 12,330 miles driven per year and for the selected economic factors, the LCC results show that even with higher first costs battery powered vehicles are lower in cost to conventional ICE vehicles. Using the two lowest-cost variant vehicles, a Nissan Leaf and a Hyundai Elantra, the Leaf's 5-year annual cost including salvage value is $5,360/year compared to the Hyundai at $7,076/year. The results for the 10-year lifetime show the Leaf at $4,683/year and the Hyundai at $6,040/year. These results are primarily due to lower fuel cost of electricity versus gasoline, which for the Leaf is $3,919 while the Hyundai gasoline cost is $10,931 for the 10-year period. A comparison of two other popular plug-in electric vehicles, the Chevrolet Volt and Toyota Prius, shows higher values for both vehicles; over a period of 10 years, the Volt is $6,286/year and the Prius is $6,156/year. The results for the case where the Leaf government incentive of $7,500 is deleted also show the LCC values for a 10-year period that the Leaf is less than the Hyundai when salvage value is considered. The Leaf is $5,369/year compared to the Hyundai at $6,040/year. For a 5-year period, this result is also true where the Leaf is $6,733/year and the Hyundai is $7,076/year. The other objective of the work is the LCC simulation program that can be downloaded and used by any individual with his or her own miles driven and vehicle cost data. The program with the input for three example vehicles is presented. The third objective is the application of PV power, which was assessed to determine the size of a PV array located in Florida that would completely supply power for electrical needs of a vehicle using a traction battery. For a 10-year period, the array size was determined to be 2.38 kW for the Nissan Leaf. KW - Computer programs KW - Economic factors KW - Electric vehicle charging KW - Electric vehicles KW - Internal combustion engines KW - Life cycle costing KW - Operating costs KW - Plug-in hybrid vehicles KW - United States UR - http://fsec.ucf.edu/en/publications/pdf/FSEC-CR-1984-14.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1329335 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01543183 AU - Barami, Bahar AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center TI - Transportation System Resilience, Extreme Weather and Climate Change: A Thought Leadership Series PY - 2014/09//Final Report SP - 41p AB - This report summarizes key findings from the Transportation System Resilience, Extreme Weather and Climate Change thought leadership series held at Volpe, the National Transportation Systems Center from fall 2013 to spring 2014. Volpe, part of the U.S. Department of Transportation, convened notable and influential voices in transportation system resiliency and climate change to present the current state of climate science and to discuss challenges, opportunities and fresh approaches related to these pressing multi-modal, multi-sector issues. KW - Adaptation planning (Climate change) KW - Climate change KW - Leadership KW - Resilience (Adaptability) KW - Transportation KW - Weather UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/52000/52800/52855/Transportation_System_Resilience_Extreme_Weather_and_Climate_Change.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1329318 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01543182 AU - Sparko, Andrea L AU - Chase, Stephanie G AU - Morowsky, Katarina AU - Jo, Young Jin AU - Norman, R Michael AU - Prinzel, Lawrence (Lance) J AU - Kramer, Lynda J AU - Arthur, Jarvis (Trey) J AU - Ellis, Kyle K E AU - Bailey, Randall E AU - Rehfeld, Sherri S AU - Yeh, Michelle AU - McGray, Bruce AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - National Aeronautics and Space Administration AU - Federal Aviation Administration TI - Low Visibility Operations/Surface Movement Guidance and Control System (LVO/SMGCS) Chart Usability: An Examination of Flightcrew Position Awareness in Homogeneous 300 ft/75 m RVR Conditions PY - 2014/09//Final Report SP - 92p AB - Two studies were conducted to identify best practices for the design of Low Visibility Operations/Surface Movement Guidance and Control System (LVO/SMGCS) paper charts and flightcrew use of them in extremely low visibility surface conditions. In the Chart Usability study, the researchers gathered information to understand the general usability of LVO/SMGCS charts on flightcrew position awareness. In the Airport Markings study, the researchers evaluated different airport marking designs, which may influence the use of LVO/SMGCS charts under those same conditions. For each study, 24 air transport pilots (twelve flightcrews) with Cat II or III qualifications performed taxi scenarios in a simulation of Memphis International Airport at runway visual range (RVR) 300 ft/75 m at night. The RVR and night-time conditions were chosen to represent worst-case conditions for LVO/SMGCS operations. In some scenarios, flightcrews were given difficult air traffic control (ATC) clearances that contained appropriate clearance instructions but did not necessarily follow strict ATC clearance protocol. The study was particularly interested in examining the accuracy of flightcrew actions under these conditions while using LVO/SMGCS taxi charts. The results of these studies showed that, under extreme low-visibility conditions, an 8.5 x 11 inch (21.59 x 27.94 cm) black-and-white paper LVO/SMGCS chart was sufficient for flightcrews to maintain position awareness. Additionally, flightcrews generally responded to air traffic control instructions properly and reported their locations correctly. The detailed results of the studies were used to generate a list of recommended best practices for LVO/SMGCS charts and airport markings. KW - Air traffic control KW - Airport apron markings KW - Airport runways KW - Best practices KW - Charts KW - Flight crews KW - Flight simulators KW - Low visibility operations KW - Night visibility KW - Position awareness KW - Surface Movement Guidance and Control System UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/52000/52800/52800/DOT-VNTSC-FAA-14-14.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1329311 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01543174 AU - McCarthy, Charlie AU - Harnett, Kevin AU - Carter, Art AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration TI - Characterization of Potential Security Threats in Modern Automobiles: A Composite Modeling Approach PY - 2014/09//Final Report SP - 46p AB - The primary objective of the work detailed in this report is to describe a composite modeling approach for potential cybersecurity threats in modern vehicles. Threat models, threat descriptions, and examples of various types of conceivable threats to automotive systems are included, along with a matrix containing a condensed version of the various potential attacks. This publication is part of a series of reports that describe the authors' initial work under the goal of facilitating cybersecurity best practices in the automotive industry (Goals 1 and 2). The information presented herein increases the collective knowledge base in automotive cybersecurity; helps identify potential knowledge gaps; helps describe the risk and threat environments; and helps support follow-on tasks that could be used to establish security guidelines. KW - Automobile industry KW - Best practices KW - Computer models KW - Cybersecurity KW - Motor vehicles KW - Safety and security KW - Threats KW - Vehicle electronics UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/52000/52800/52887/Characterization_Potential_Threats_Autos-090314.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1329315 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01543172 AU - McCarthy, Charlie AU - Harnett, Kevin AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration TI - National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Cybersecurity Risk Management Framework Applied to Modern Vehicles PY - 2014/09//Final Report SP - 27p AB - The primary objective of the work described in this report is to review the National Institute of Science and Technology (NIST) guidelines and foundational publications from an automotive cybersecurity risk management stand-point. The NIST approach is often used as a baseline to develop a more targeted risk management approach for the specific use cases and issues in specific industries and sectors. This report can be considered as a primer that establishes a baseline conceptual understanding of the NIST approach for the readers and a common vocabulary for discussing risk management for the automotive sector. Additional work would be needed to more effectively apply this framework to the automotive sector. This publication is part of a series of reports that describe the authors' initial work under the goal of facilitating cybersecurity best practices in the automotive industry (Goals 1 and 2). The information presented herein increases the collective knowledge base in automotive cybersecurity; helps identify potential knowledge gaps; helps describe the risk and threat environments; and helps support follow-on tasks that could be used to establish security guidelines. KW - Cybersecurity KW - Guidelines KW - Motor vehicles KW - Risk management KW - Safety and security KW - U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/52000/52800/52888/Natl_Instit_Standards_Tech_Cyber-090314.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1329316 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01541528 AU - McCoy, Kevin AU - Deaderick, Lauren AU - Linthicum, Alex AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - National Park Service TI - Primer on the Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) PY - 2014/09//Final Report SP - 10p AB - The Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) is a core Federal-aid program for State Departments of Transportation (State DOTs) administered by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). This is a major source of funding for safety projects on the nation's public roads, including non-State owned public roads. HSIP and the associated Strategic Highway Safety Plan (SHSP) development processes are prime opportunities for the National Park Service (NPS) to highlight and build awareness of safety issues within or leading to NPS units, and to engage State DOTs in collaborative and mutually beneficial efforts to address them. KW - Cooperation KW - Financing KW - Highway safety KW - Highway Safety Improvement Program KW - National Park Service KW - National parks KW - State departments of transportation KW - Strategic Highway Safety Plan UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/52000/52700/52751/DOT-VNTSC-NPS-14-08.pdf?utm_source=GovDelivery&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=September_newsletter UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1324917 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01541504 AU - Regan, Terry AU - Deaderick, Lauren AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Federal Transit Administration TI - North Carolina DOT Peer Exchange on Performance Management PY - 2014/09//Final Report SP - 24p AB - This report summarizes the key themes and recommendations identified at a peer exchange on November 19-20, 2013 in Raleigh, North Carolina. North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) hosted peers from South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT) to exchange best practices surrounding performance management. The peer exchange was sponsored by the Transportation Planning Capacity Building (TPCB) Peer Program, which is jointly funded by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and Federal Transit Administration (FTA). KW - Best practices KW - Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act KW - North Carolina Department of Transportation KW - Peer exchange KW - Performance measurement KW - South Carolina Department of Transportation KW - State departments of transportation KW - Transportation planning UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/52000/52700/52747/NCDOT_Performance_Mgmt_Peer_Exchange-_TPCB_Peer_Report-Nov_2013.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1325008 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01541489 AU - Qi, Yi AU - Liu, Jie AU - Wang, Yubian AU - Texas Southern University, Houston AU - Southwest Region University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Safety Performance for Freeway Weaving Segments PY - 2014/09//Final Technical Report SP - 51p AB - The intensive lane change maneuvers at weaving sections often result in safety and operational problems. Various factors, including the design of ramp roadways, use of auxiliary lanes, and continuity of lanes will have significant effects on the level of service and safety performance of the weaving sections. This study investigated the safety performance of freeway weaving sections and developed a quantitative model for predicting the safety impacts of different types of geometric treatments for freeway weaving sections. The results of this study show that weaving sections with longer length will have lower crash frequency per 1000 ft., more required lane changes for diverge vehicles will result in more crashes in the freeway weaving section, increasing merge traffic in the weaving sections will slightly reduce the crash risk at this section, and increasing diverge traffic in the weaving sections will increase the crash risk at this section. In this study, Crash Modification Factors (CMFs) were also developed based on the developed crash prediction model for estimating the impacts of different safety treatments for the freeway weaving sections. KW - Crash modification factors KW - Crash rates KW - Crash risk forecasting KW - Diverging traffic KW - Freeways KW - Geometric design KW - Highway safety KW - Level of service KW - Merging traffic KW - Regression analysis KW - Weaving sections UR - http://swutc.tamu.edu/publications/technicalreports/600451-00045-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1328010 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01541478 AU - Schroeder, Bastian AU - Rouphail, Nagui AU - Salamati, Katy AU - Hunter, Elizabeth AU - Phillips, Briana AU - Elefteriadou, Lily AU - Chase, Thomas AU - Zheng, Yinan AU - Sisiopiku, Virginia P AU - Mamidipalli, Shrikanth AU - Southeastern Transportation Research, Innovation, Development and Education Center (STRIDE) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Empirically-Based Performance Assessment and Simulation of Pedestrian Behavior at Unsignalized Crossings PY - 2014/09//Final Report SP - 193p AB - The objective of this research was to provide an improved understanding of pedestrian-vehicle interaction at mid-block pedestrian crossings and develop methods that can be used in traffic operational analysis and microsimulation packages. Models describing driver yielding and pedestrian gap acceptance behavior were developed from field data collected at 27 mid-block pedestrian crossings in three states (Alabama, Florida, and North Carolina) encompassing two different types of land use: university campuses and downtown areas. The project included an in-vehicle driver behavior study with 15 drivers. This part of the data collection was performed in Florida and the results were used to develop nine simulation components describing various aspects of pedestrian-vehicle interaction. Specific outcomes for this research include: (a) a standalone model of pedestrian gap acceptance behavior at unsignalized crossings, (b) a driver yielding behavioral model, (c) models describing vehicle dynamics and driver behavior in advance of the crosswalk, (d) prototype algorithms incorporated and tested in a micro simulator, and (e) educational modules for dissemination of the research results. Key deliverables include the prototype algorithms implemented in simulation, a final report summarizing the research and findings, and educational modules on the research results that can be incorporated into university curricula, or serve as material for standalone professional development courses. KW - Alabama KW - Algorithms KW - Behavior KW - Drivers KW - Florida KW - Gap acceptance KW - Microsimulation KW - Midblock crossings KW - North Carolina KW - Pedestrian movement KW - Pedestrian vehicle interface KW - Unsignalized intersections KW - Yielding UR - http://stride.ce.ufl.edu/uploads/docs/Schroeder_STRIDE_2012-016S_Final_Report.pdf UR - http://www.stride.ce.ufl.edu/uploads/docs/Schroeder_STRIDE_2012-016S_Final_Report.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/55000/55300/55329/Schroeder_STRIDE_2012-016S_Final_Report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1326314 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01541466 AU - Yu, Yao AU - Machemehl, Randy AU - Hakimi, Shadi AU - University of Texas, Austin AU - Southwest Region University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Real-Time Optimization of Passenger Collection for Commuter Rail Systems PY - 2014/09 SP - 43p AB - Commuter rail systems are being introduced into many urban areas as an alternative mode to automobiles for commuting trips. The shift from the auto mode to rail mode is anticipated to greatly help alleviate traffic congestion in urban road networks. However, the right-of-way of many existing commuter rail systems is usually not ideally located. Since the locations of rail systems were typically chosen long ago to serve the needs of freight customers, the majority of current commuter rail passengers have to take a non-walkable connecting trip to reach their final destinations after departing even the most conveniently located rail stations. To make rail a more viable, competitive commuting option, a bus feeder or circulator system is proposed for seamlessly transporting passengers from their departing rail stations to final work destinations. The primary research challenge in modeling such a bus circulator system is to optimally determine a bus route and stop sequence for each circulating tour using the real-time demand information. In this paper, the authors termed this joint routing and stop optimization problem the circulator service network design problem, the objective of which is to minimize the total tour cost incurred by bus passengers and operators while minimizing the walk time of each individual bus passenger. A bi-level nonlinear mixed integer programming model was constructed and a tabu search method with different local search strategies and neighborhood evaluation methods was then developed to tackle the circulator service network design problem. KW - Bus routes KW - Bus stops KW - Feeder services KW - Mixed integer programming KW - Optimization KW - Public transit KW - Railroad commuter service KW - Real time information KW - Tabu search KW - Travel demand UR - http://swutc.tamu.edu/publications/technicalreports/600451-00082-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1328012 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01541464 AU - Quadrifoglio, Luca AU - Yin, Kai AU - Lu, Wei AU - Texas A&M Transportation Institute AU - Southwest Region University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Performance Measures for Multi-vehicle Allowance Shuttle Transit (MAST) System PY - 2014/09//Final Report SP - 35p AB - This study investigates the performance measures for multi-vehicle mobility allowance shuttle transit (MAST) system. Particularly, researchers were primarily concerned with two measures, waiting time and ride time, to evaluate the performance and help design of m-MAST systems. The MAST system is an innovative concept that allows transit vehicles to deviate from a fixed route consisting of a few mandatory checkpoints to serve on-demand customers within a predetermined service area, and thus can be both affordable and convenient enough to attract the general public. For the MAST system, the fixed route can be either a loop or a line between two terminals. The checkpoints are usually located at major transfer stops or high demand zones and are relatively far from each other. Researchers developed analytical results for the waiting time probability distribution and its expected value as well as the expected ride time for different types of customers in terms of the system parameters for both 1-MAST system and multi-vehicle MAST (m-MAST). Researchers also discussed the assumptions behind the estimation. Based on the analytical results, researchers provided the inherent constraints between these parameters and demand. KW - Demand responsive transportation KW - Performance measurement KW - Public transit KW - Shuttle service KW - Transit riders KW - Travel demand KW - Waiting time UR - http://swutc.tamu.edu/publications/technicalreports/600451-00026-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1328008 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01541452 AU - Hans, Zachary AU - Gritza, Konstantina AU - Cerwick, Donald AU - Huang, Yundi AU - Nlenanya, Inya AU - Iowa State University, Ames AU - Iowa Department of Transportation AU - Mid-America Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Statewide Heavy-Truck Crash Assessment PY - 2014/09//Final Report SP - 156p AB - In 2010, 16.5 percent of all fatal vehicle crashes in Iowa involved large trucks compared to the national average of 7.8 percent. Only about 16 percent of these fatalities involved the occupants of the heavy vehicles, meaning that a majority of the fatalities in fatal crashes involve non-heavy-truck occupants. These statistics demonstrate the severe nature of heavy-truck crashes and underscore the serious impact that these crashes can have on the traveling public. These statistics also indicate Iowa may have a disproportionately higher safety risk compared to the nation with respect to heavy-truck safety. Several national studies, and a few statewide studies, have investigated large-truck crashes; however, no rigorous analysis of heavy-truck crashes has been conducted for Iowa. The objective of this study was to investigate and identify the causes, locations, and other factors related to heavy-truck crashes in Iowa with the goal of reducing crashes and promoting safety. To achieve this objective, this study used the most current statewide data of heavy-truck crashes in Iowa. This study also attempted to assess crash experience with respect to length of commercial driver’s license (CDL) licensure using the most recent five years of CDL data linked to the before mentioned crash data. In addition, this study used inspection and citation data from the Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) Motor Vehicle Division and Iowa State Patrol to investigate the relationship between enforcement activities and crash experience. KW - Commercial drivers KW - Crash causes KW - Crash characteristics KW - Crash data KW - Driver licenses KW - Fatalities KW - Iowa KW - Traffic citations KW - Truck crashes KW - Trucks UR - http://publications.iowa.gov/17823/1/CTRE_MATC_Hans_Statewide_Heavy-Truck_Crash_Assessment_2014_r.pdf UR - http://www.intrans.iastate.edu/research/documents/research-reports/statewide_heavy-truck_crash_assessment_w_cvr.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1326922 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01541445 AU - Kelle, Peter AU - Jin, Mingzhou AU - Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge AU - University of Tennessee, Knoxville AU - National Center for Intermodal Transportation for Economic Competitiveness AU - Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Development of Performance Measurement for Freight Transportation PY - 2014/09//Final Report SP - 80p AB - In this project, the researchers built a set of performance measures that are unified, user-oriented, scalable, systematic, effective, and calculable for intermodal freight management and developed methodologies to calculate and use the measures. The following measures for freight transportation systems are suggested to address the needs of transportation users. 1. Mobility: Reducing transportation time and delay is a major concern of most transportation users. 2. Safety: The objectives related to transportation safety and security include improving traffic safety, i.e., reducing traffic accident rates, injuries, fatalities, and risks. They also include increasing traffic security and reducing crime rates, improving accident detection and response, and increasing public and homeland security. 3. Environmental Stewardship: The objectives include reducing the amount of transportation-related pollutants, promoting the community livability near major transportation infrastructures, and decreasing energy consumption. 4. Direct Cost Efficiency: The objectives include developing cost-efficient transportation systems that have low cost/benefit ratios and high sustainability. 5. Economic Growth: The objectives include promoting local or regional economic growth and increasing local or regional employment opportunities. There are two major outcomes from this project: An intermodal performance measurement system for freight management, including metrics definition, calculation procedure, and methodologies of data collection; and a case study that demonstrates how to apply the proposed performance measurement system to evaluate the Louisiana intermodal network for freight management. KW - Case studies KW - Data collection KW - Freight transportation KW - Intermodal transportation KW - Louisiana KW - Methodology KW - Performance measurement UR - http://www.ltrc.lsu.edu/pdf/2014/fr_522.pdf UR - http://www.ncitec.msstate.edu/wp-content/uploads/2012-34FR.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1327674 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01541435 AU - Goodwin, Gwendolyn C AU - Schoby, Jamaal AU - Council, Walter AU - Texas Southern University, Houston AU - Southwest Region University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - A Hot Spot Analysis of Teenage Crashes: An Assessment of Crashes in Houston, Texas PY - 2014/09//Final Report SP - 33p AB - Today, states have enacted laws to ensure that teen drivers are more skilled and drive safely. The result is fewer accidents. However, in previous research, when teen crashes were mapped, certain streets and areas appeared to have more accidents than other areas. The goal of this research is to investigate the “hot spot” locations where teens have accidents and to determine important factors contributing to the concentration of accidents. This research will benefit planners and engineers and help them determine if additional changes are needed at locations with high teen crashes to make these areas safer. KW - Crash analysis KW - High risk locations KW - Houston (Texas) KW - Teenage drivers KW - Traffic crashes UR - http://swutc.tamu.edu/publications/technicalreports/161341-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1328011 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01570382 AU - Kim, Taehyoung AU - Hobeika, Antoine G AU - Jung, Heejin AU - Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg AU - Mid-Atlantic Universities Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Area Coverage Provided by Vehicle to Vehicle Communication in an Urban Network PY - 2014/08/31/Final Report SP - 40p AB - The information obtained from connected vehicle has the potential of providing local and area-wide traffic management solutions by improving safety and mobility. The reliability and the frequency of this transmitted information have to be addressed to ensure that the users can properly utilize this information to solve traffic management issues. The first part of this research investigates the area covered in space and in time by vehicle to vehicle (V2V) communication in an urban network based on different market penetration rates of equipped vehicles and wireless communication coverage in Transportation Analysis and Simulation System (TRANSIMS). The percentage of valid connected vehicles and area coverage level are used to assess the communication duration rate and spatial-temporal dispersion of equipped vehicles. Results show that both average communication duration rate and area coverage level increase as the market penetration rate and wireless communication coverage increase. The communication duration rate is more sensitive to the wireless communication coverage than the market penetration rate. However, the market penetration rate has a greater influence on spatial-temporal dispersion of equipped vehicles and the Selected Links case has higher average area coverage level than the Whole Network case. The average area coverage also varies by time of day and is sensitive to the density of traffic and to the aggregation level. Finally, the spatialtemporal dispersion of equipped vehicles increases as the density of traffic increases. The second part of this research measures the performance of V2V applications and determines the required minimum level of deployment in a large urban network. Distance of information propagation and speed estimation error are used to measure the performance of event-driven and periodic applications. For event-driven applications, wireless communication coverage is the major factor because it has a greater impact on the distance of information propagation. For periodic applications, however, the market penetration rate has a greater impact on the performance than wireless communication coverage. The performance of event-driven improves in the higher traffic density conditions of peak time while the performance of periodic application improves in the lower traffic density conditions of non-peak time. The required minimum level of deployment for each application is determined to obtain reliable traffic management solutions. These study findings will be useful for making decisions about investments in cooperative vehicles in relation to the expected increase in traffic efficiency. KW - Alexandria (Virginia) KW - Data sharing KW - Market penetration KW - Simulation KW - Time duration KW - TRANSIMS (Computer model) KW - Urban areas KW - Vehicle to vehicle communications KW - Wireless communication systems UR - http://www.mautc.psu.edu/docs/VT-2013-02.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/55000/55200/55271/VT_2013-02.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1360171 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01537402 TI - Evaluation of Hydraulic Plate Compactor AB - The objective of this project is to assess the capability of the vibratory hydraulic plate compactor for aggregate compaction in utility trench backfill. Specifically, the project aims to investigate: (1) the maximum lift thickness to consistently achieve the minimum specified Standard Proctor Density (SPD) of trench backfill in the cover zone as per Pub 408 (2011.5), Section 206.3(b)1, (2) the effect of lift thickness on compaction-induced downward earth pressure in the backfill zone, and (3) the effect of lift thickness on compaction-induced axial and hoop strains in typical pipes. To achieve the research objective, two (2) parallel field investigations will be performed at the following sites: State College site: Test track facility, The Larson Transportation Institute, Penn State Univ. Harrisburg site: Lower Paxton Township Public Works Facility, 5975 Locust Lane, Harrisburg, PA 17109. The purpose of the field investigation at the State College site is to establish baseline measurements using a walk-behind vibratory roller compactor in accordance with current PennDOT specifications in Publication 408/2011. These baseline measurements will be compared to measurements from the field investigation at the Harrisburg site using a hydraulic plate compactor. KW - Compaction KW - Earth pressure KW - Field tests KW - Hydraulics KW - Pennsylvania KW - Plates (Engineering) KW - Thickness KW - Trench backfill UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1323148 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01536617 AU - Negussey, Dawit AU - Birhan, Amsalu AU - Liu, Chen AU - Singh, Stephen AU - Andrews, Luke AU - Syracuse University AU - University Transportation Research Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Investigation of the I88 Carrs Creek Geofoam Failure PY - 2014/08/20/Final Report SP - 58p AB - The Interstate 88 (I88) culvert crossing of Carrs Creek in Sidney, New York collapsed during the record setting Mid-Atlantic States Flood of June 2006. Rapid construction with geofoam as lightweight fill enabled partial reopening of I88 by Labor Day 2006. Shortly after reopening of the roadway, rapid settlements developed. The geofoam fill was removed and I88 was re‐built using lightweight aggregates. An investigation of the rapid construction failure was completed in 2009. This report examines the failure of the re‐construction and the results of the subsequent investigation. Alternative causes for the failure have been identified based on previous observations, lab tests and computer models. Suggestions for improving rapid construction practice with geofoam are provided. KW - Computer models KW - Construction KW - Culverts KW - Failure analysis KW - Laboratory tests KW - New York (State) KW - Polystyrene KW - Reconstruction KW - Settlement (Structures) UR - http://www.utrc2.org/sites/default/files/pubs/Final-Carrs-Creek-Geofam_0.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1321365 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01573281 TI - Economic Impacts of Lock Usage and Unavailability AB - Freight statistics should provide an objective baseline for transportation policy decisions, and national economic benefits of maritime transport necessitate improving inland waterways infrastructure. Proposed work includes consolidating and learning from Lock Use, Performance, and Characteristics data collected by the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and published by the navigation Data Center. The objective is to estimate statistical models of annual tons locked by commodity group and lock, as a function of lock usage and unavailability (1993-2013), to discover knowledge of relationships between system disruption and economic consequences. KW - Canal lock operations KW - Commodities KW - Economic impacts KW - Freight traffic KW - Inland water transportation KW - Locks (Waterways) KW - Systems availability UR - http://martrec.uark.edu UR - http://martrec.uark.edu/research/chimka-final-report-2016.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1366462 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01547325 TI - Enabling On-line Logistics Services Auction Platform (OLSAP): Optimal Eco-Routing Strategies AB - The rapid advances in mobile and ubiquitous computing are opening opportunities to an envisioned On-line Logistics Service Auction Platform (OLSAP). Simply speaking, OLSAP is an e-bay like online auctioning system that allows shippers and carriers to match the demand and service dynamically anytime and anywhere through real-time online auction. The technical core of OLSAP is an eco-routing/re-routing tool, which evaluates potential orders for profitability during bidding and enables on-the-go cargo consolidation, i.e., integrating the new order(s) into the pre-scheduled pickups/deliveries, during re-routing. The proposed research will formulate and solve this online eco-routing problem that minimizes both travel time and fuel cost as a function of both vehicle speed and load distribution on the route. This research will make useful scientific contribution to the VRP literature. The product of this research, i.e., an eco-routing algorithm which enables on-the-go cargo consolidation service, provides the technical core for future goods delivery e-markets such as OLSAP. KW - Electronic commerce KW - Load transfer KW - Logistics KW - Profitability KW - Routes and routing KW - Sustainable transportation KW - Travel time UR - http://www.wistrans.org/cfire/research/projects/09-09/ UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1334498 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01577890 TI - SI-12-05.2: Policy Research White Papers (Volpe 11-V-00018) AB - This modification of the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Office of Innovative Program Delivery (OIPD) Capacity Building Program Support IAA includes changes to the scope budget and funding. KW - Budgeting KW - Innovation KW - Policy KW - Research UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1371198 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01574116 AU - Brown, Alexander AU - Leary, Bobby AU - Corbin, David AU - Brennan, Sean AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Volvo Group AU - Mid-Atlantic Universities Transportation Center AU - Pennsylvania State University, University Park TI - Map-based Lane Detection and Driver Assist - A Final Project Report to Volvo Commercial Trucking PY - 2014/08/15/Final Report AB - This report outlines key recent contributions to the state of the art in lane detection, lane departure warning, and map-based sensor fusion algorithms. These key studies are used as a basis for a discussion about the limitations of systems that do not take advantage of map information, and outlines ways in which current map-based technologies can be improved. Finally, the methodology proposed for the development of a lane departure warning system that tightly integrates map, inertial, and vision sensors is described, followed by a rough outline of project timeline and scope. KW - Advanced driver information systems KW - Algorithms KW - Data fusion KW - Detection and identification technologies KW - Mapping KW - Methodology KW - Sensors KW - Traffic lanes KW - Trucks UR - http://www.mautc.psu.edu/docs/PSU-2013-08.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1366490 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01539717 AU - Warn, Gordon AU - Unal, Mehmet AU - Pennsylvania State University, University Park AU - Mid-Atlantic Universities Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Estimating the Residual Axial Load Capacity of Flexure-dominated Reinforced Concrete Bridge Columns PY - 2014/08/11/Final Report SP - 36p AB - Extreme events such as earthquakes have the potential to damage hundreds, if not thousands, of bridges on a transportation network. Following an earthquake, the damaged bridges are inspected by engineers sequentially to decide whether or not to close the bridges to traffic. These inspections are generally slow and resource intensive, potentially leading to traffic disruption on the network for a long period of time. A recent experimental study on reinforced concrete bridge columns demonstrated that the bridge columns designed according to modern design specifications and standards, e.g. California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) Seismic Design Criteria (SDC), exhibited approximately 80% of their original axial capacity after being subjected to cyclic lateral loading up to 4% drift. Thus, bridge columns designed following modern design requirements might possess significant residual axial load capacity even with the presence of moderate to extensive damage. A practical and efficient method for estimating the residual capacity of seismically damaged bridges would expedite bridge inspection and decision making regarding closure by allowing transportation agency officials to use the estimates to triage the on-site, visual inspection that would in turn minimize disruption to the transportation network by preventing overly conservative and unnecessary bridge closures. The objective of this study was to develop a practical mechanics-based method for accurately and efficiently estimating the residual axial load capacity of bridge columns given a level of seismic demand, measured by basic sensors instrumented on the bridge. The practical mechanics-based method for estimating the residual capacity of bridge columns was validated using experimental data from the axial testing of damaged column specimens designed according to Caltrans SDC. From the results of the validation study, the practical method was demonstrated to estimate the residual axial load capacity of bridge columns within approximately 3% accuracy when compared to experimental study results. KW - Axial loads KW - Bearing capacity KW - Columns KW - Earthquake resistant design KW - Estimating KW - Flexure KW - Reinforced concrete bridges KW - Residual strength UR - http://www.mautc.psu.edu/docs/PSU-2013-03.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1324876 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01537875 AU - Laube, Melissa M AU - Rainville, Lydia AU - Lyons, William M AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - A Multi-Modal Approach to Economic Development in the Metropolitan Area Transportation Planning Process PY - 2014/08/06/Final Report SP - 49p AB - This white paper provides a review of research and current practices of integrating economic development goals in metropolitan area transportation planning. The information presented is intended to serve as a technical resource for transportation planners, clarifying essential economic development concepts and how peer practitioners can address these concepts in the metropolitan area transportation planning process. The first section summarizes research on essential economic development attributes and analytic methods drawn from a broad range of sources, including empirical and analytical research. This summary provides the context for the second section, which is a review of several best practice examples chosen to demonstrate how metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) are successfully incorporating economic development goals in planning and decision-making. KW - Best practices KW - Case studies KW - City planning KW - Decision making KW - Economic development KW - Metropolitan areas KW - Metropolitan planning organizations KW - Multimodal transportation KW - Transportation planning UR - http://www.planning.dot.gov/documents/EconDevelopmentFinal_8-11-14.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/52000/52600/52663/EconDevelopmentFinal_8-11-14.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1323292 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01581001 AU - Bellman, Miles AU - Gandhi, Pratik AU - Geyer, Michael AU - Mackey, Allen AU - Shah, Vaibhav AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Aviation Administration AU - Department of the Navy AU - Naval Air Systems Command TI - AN/UPX-41(C) Digital Interrogator System Compatibility with the National Airspace System: Top- Level Test Plan PY - 2014/08/04 SP - 102p 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 document constitutes the top-level plan for an experiment that implements the agreed-upon testing of the impact of the AEGIS and Ships Self Defense System (SSDS) Combat Systems in ships with the AN/UPX-41(C)-based AN/UPX-29(V) Interrogator system on National Airspace System (NAS) Aeronautical Surveillance and Collision Avoidance Systems (ASCAS). KW - Aircraft KW - Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast KW - Certification KW - Crash avoidance systems KW - Electromagnetic spectrum KW - National Airspace System KW - Radar KW - Ships KW - Surveillance UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/56000/56100/56184/DOT-VNTSC-NAVSEA-15-03.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1373195 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01573282 TI - Dynamic Decision Modeling for Inland Waterway Disruptions AB - The inland waterway system is a major component of the U.S. transportation system. Disruption on the inland waterway system can have widespread economic and societal impacts, and their consequences can be significant. However, the uncertainty associated with the disruptive events, such as extreme weather conditions, have made it difficult to determine whether it is optimal to stay on the water and wait for the locked traffic to clear, or it is more economical to redirect to rail or freight transportation. In order to facilitate decision making in the event of waterway closure under uncertainty, this research proposes a dynamic multi-criteria decision framework that can be used to find a timely and optimal solution for the greatest overall societal benefits. The potential contribution of this research is threefold: (1) this is the first study to incorporate uncertainty in the decision process when facing inland waterway disruption; (2) it proposes the idea of collaborative planning in the event of disruption when all stakeholders' decision goals are considered simultaneously; and (3) it develops a user-interactive real-time decision support tool that can automate the decision process and propose an optimal solution in a short period of time. KW - Decision making KW - Economic impacts KW - Freight traffic KW - Inland water transportation KW - Service disruption KW - Uncertainty KW - Weather conditions UR - http://martrec.uark.edu UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1366463 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01573280 TI - Efficient Dredging Strategies for Improving Transportation Infrastructure Resilience AB - The viability of the marine highway system as efficient means of transportation is highly dependent upon weather patterns, which vary widely from year to year. Droughts can render waterways impassable to large ships, forcing distributors to either rely on other, more expensive, transportation modes to satisfy their transportation needs, or take action to restore waterway navigability. One way to accomplish this is by dredging, or excavating, certain stretches of waterways. The proposed research will develop mathematical modeling approaches to explore cost efficient dredging strategies for hardening inland waterway infrastructure against the possible impacts of drought events. KW - Dredging KW - Drought KW - Excavation KW - Infrastructure KW - Water transportation UR - http://martrec.uark.edu UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1366461 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01573279 TI - Optimal Dredge Fleet Scheduling within Environmental Work Windows AB - The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) annually dredges hundreds of navigation projects through its fleet of government dredges and individual contracts with private industry. The research presented here seeks to examine the decision of allocating dredge resources to projects system-wide under necessary constraints including environmental restrictions concerning when dredging can take place due to migration patterns of turtles, birds, fish, and other wildlife, dredge equipment resource availability, and varying equipment productivity rates that affect project completion times. Building on previous research with USACE, this project is specifically motivated by the need to apply recently developed scheduling optimization tools to provide comprehensive sensitivity analysis regarding the impact of varying dredge job sizes, available dredge equipment and the size of environmental windows. Beyond sensitivity analysis, this project will expand the previously developed optimization tools to allow for multiple dredge resources to work on a single job, environmental windows to be dredge specific and environmental windows to serve as soft constraints. Finally, while previous work has assumed that the demand for dredging, availability of dredge equipment and length of environmental windows are known with certainty, this research will explore how dredge planning is impacted when these factors are treated as stochastic components. The goal of this research is to offer a robust decision tool that can be used by USACE to determine the appropriate dredge fleet and the optimal operations associated with that fleet for a given set of jobs. UPDATE: The beta version of the tool was used in the decision-making process for west coast dredge fleet scheduling at a meeting in Portland, OR in July 2015. The next phase of this research looks to enhance the capabilities of these tools to allow for large-scale planning to take place at a USACE system level. In addition, while work to this point has assumed that the demand for dredging, availability of dredge equipment and length of environmental windows are known with certainty, this research will explore how dredge planning is impacted when these factors are treated as stochastic components. The goal of this research is to offer a robust decision tool that can be used by USACE to determine the appropriate dredge fleet and the optimal operations associated with that fleet for a given set of jobs. KW - Dredging KW - Environmental impacts KW - Equipment KW - Optimization KW - Resource allocation KW - Scheduling KW - Sensitivity analysis KW - Wildlife UR - http://martrec.uark.edu UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1366460 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01573277 TI - Supporting Secure and Resilient Inland Waterways AB - To mitigate inland waterway disruption impacts, this project developed the cargo prioritization and terminal allocation problem (CPTAP) to minimize the total value loss of disrupted barge cargoes. CPTAP is formulated as a nonlinear binary integer program, and problems of realistic size can be efficiently and effectively solved with a heuristic approach. The final solution identifies an accessible alternative terminal for each disrupted barge and the prioritized offload turn that each barge takes at its assigned terminal. Implementation of CPTAP results in reduced cargo value loss and response time when compared to a naïve minimize distance approach. This proposed project extends our earlier work through CPTAP model enhancement, expanded application, and improved solution approach development. KW - Barges KW - Cargo preference KW - Freight traffic KW - Inland water transportation KW - Service disruption KW - Water transportation UR - http://martrec.uark.edu UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1366458 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01567227 TI - Alcohol-Related Hot-Spot Analysis and Prediction for Improving DWI/OVI Law Enforcement AB - A constant problem in today’s society is the amount of alcohol related crashes. Efforts are continually being made in order to reduce the amount of intoxicated drivers on the road, however the problem persists. The goal of this research is to use pre-determined hot spot maps, created by Brandon Stakleff in Phase 1 of the project, to further guide patrol officers to significant areas with hopes of reducing the amount of intoxicated drivers. The first step in achieving this goal is to locate the significant areas for officers to patrol. Three counties are used as case studies for this research including Franklin, Summit, and Ross Counties. Franklin County represents an extremely urban county with a population of more than 1 million people and very high number of alcohol-related crashes. Summit County represents a largely urban area with a population greater than 500,000 people and still a large amount of alcohol-related crashes. Ross County represents a more rural county with a population of under 100,000 people and a low number of alcohol-related crashes. The output of the hot spots for these counties are a series of points that are broken down into local indicators of spatial association (LISA) that identify a confidence for each output of the hot spot map. These points are defined by 90%, 95%, or 99% confident, or showing no significance. A point, or network location, with a 95% confidence indicates that that point has a 5% chance that it does not represent a location where alcohol-related crashes are likely to occur. Due to the high number of network locations in some counties, the 95% confident network locations utilized in guiding officers patrolling for intoxicated drivers. Though the use of the 95% confident network locations may be beneficial in guiding officers when patrolling for intoxicated drivers, they do not provide a direction of how to use these results to reduce the amount of intoxicated drivers. By utilizing hot spot locations in route optimization, officers may have more guided approaches to patrolling for intoxicated drivers. The second step in this research utilizes route optimization techniques to compare the traditional method of corridor patrolling, practiced by many jurisdictions, and a proposed method of hot spot route optimization (HSRO). The average alcohol-related crash locations passed per time and per mile on the routes is used as a performance metric for each method of patrolling, and are calculated and compared. Ultimately, the HSRO method of patrolling is able to pass through more alcohol-related crash locations per mile and time, indicating that this method may be the most efficient in patrolling for intoxicated drivers. Though the route optimization technique shows significant results in favor of the HSRO method of patrolling versus patrolling through corridors, failure probability is used to further justify the use of the newly developed HSRO method of patrolling. Two failure probability models are developed comparing the HSRO method of patrolling and patrolling through corridors that depend on the results from the route optimization section. The first model shows the maximum number of cycles an officer may patrol in a given shift time while the second model shows the chance patrolling for intoxicated drivers in a given night is more costly than the pullovers expected to occur during that shift. The use of these failure probability models not only helps to justify patrolling through the method of HSRO, but may also help administrators determine the desired fleet size for patrolling for intoxicated drivers. The use of this research may ultimately help to reduce the amount of alcohol-related crashes. KW - Crashes KW - Drunk driving KW - Geospatial analysis KW - High risk locations KW - Sobriety checkpoints KW - Traffic law enforcement KW - United States UR - http://www.roadwaysafety.umn.edu/research/search/projectdetail.html?id=2015040 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1359198 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01567226 TI - Directional Rumble Strips for Reducing Wrong-Way-Driving Freeway Entries AB - Wrong-way driving on freeways has been identified as a serious traffic safety problem. Drivers who make wrong-way entries onto freeways pose a serious risk to the safety of other motorists and themselves. This study investigated the feasibility of a novel design of directional rumble strips (DRS) to discourage wrong-way entries onto freeway exit ramps. First, initial field tests conducted by the Auburn University (AU) team evaluated the effectiveness of existing transverse rumble strip (TRS) applications and set the driver's perceptibility threshold of sound and vibration based on the field data. The findings of these tests supported the possibility of using DRS to influence the wrong-way driver's behavior and also provide references for the DRS design and effectiveness evaluations. Later, several conceptual designs of DRS were proposed based on the state department of transportation design guidelines, current practices, and feedback from a national survey (conducted to collect opinions on the conceptual designs from transportation practitioners and vendors who are knowledgeable about rumble strip design, manufacture, and installation). Based on survey and literature review results, a total of five patterns and eight configurations were developed for evaluation. The field tests were conducted to collect noise and vibrations generated by the proposed eight DRS configurations at the National Center for Asphalt Technology (NCAT) at AU. Then, statistical analysis was conducted to examine if there is a significant difference in the sound and vibration between right and wrong directions. The Pattern C generated significant different sound and vibration signals when driving in the wrong-way direction and the right-way direction from 10 to 25 mph. Pattern E shows statistical vibration difference in 45 mph. Finally, DRS Pattern C, Pattern D Configuration 3, and Pattern E were recommended for further optimization and implementation based on their attention-getting effects. KW - Design KW - Evaluation KW - Field tests KW - Guidelines KW - Highway safety KW - Rumble strips KW - Test vehicles KW - United States KW - Wrong way driving UR - http://www.roadwaysafety.umn.edu/research/search/projectdetail.html?id=2015039 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1359197 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01567225 TI - Safety in Numbers? Accessibility, Traffic, and Safety of Nonmotorized Travelers AB - This project has developed a risk model for pedestrian and bicycle travel in urban areas that reflects the cross-modal interactions produced by varying levels of nonmotorized and motorized travel on individual road segments or intersections. To supply nonmotorized travel volumes where measurements are unavailable or insufficiently detailed, a model of nonmotorized travel volume has been developed that incorporates, as independent explanatory variables, both descriptors of the local environment and metrics reflecting properties of the surrounding networks and transportation infrastructure as well as of land use. These approaches help resolve two challenges identified in existing research of nonmotorized travel safety: the need for metrics that reflect the risk exposure produced by cross-modal traffic volume interactions, and the need for risk models that can be applied in local contexts such as individual streets and intersections. KW - Computer models KW - Cyclists KW - Highway safety KW - Metrics (Quantitative assessment) KW - Nonmotorized transportation KW - Pedestrian safety KW - Risk KW - Urban areas UR - http://www.roadwaysafety.umn.edu/research/search/projectdetail.html?id=2015038 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1359196 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01567224 TI - Implementation of a V2I Highway Safety System and Connected Vehicle Testbed AB - Safety and traffic operations concepts based on vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) and vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) communication have been in development for some time. The U.S. Department of Transportation is now actively promoting speed harmonization (SPD-HARM) and queue warning (Q-WARN) as the first two most-implementable V2I technologies and has a request for proposals regarding the establishment of connected vehicle (CV) pilots around the country. With the assistance of MnDOT, the Minnesota Traffic Observatory at the University of Minnesota has studied and experimented with infrastructure-based Q-WARN systems. A permanent field lab has been established at the high-crash area of westbound I-94 in Minneapolis, Minn., capturing detailed data on hundreds of crashes. This area experiences upwards of 100 crashes annually, the majority of them rear-end crashes due to failure to stop or too little headway. This research aims to capitalize on the already extensive instrumentation available at the I-94 Field Lab to develop a CV testbed specifically for the implementation and testing of SPD-HARM and Q-WARN systems. The project is following a phased approach, where first an infrastructure-based Q-WARN system will be implemented and expanded to a V2I SPD-HARM and Q-WARN demonstration. The current site will be enhanced to support fully developed CV safety systems as well as the research and evaluation of the underlying human factors of such systems. The final product of this project will be a fully functional CV testbed uniquely situated to attract freeway safety-oriented V2I and V2V safety application development, implementation, and evaluation projects. KW - Crash data KW - Highway safety KW - Minnesota KW - Mobile communication systems KW - Speed harmonization KW - Testing KW - Vehicle to infrastructure communications UR - http://www.roadwaysafety.umn.edu/research/search/projectdetail.html?id=2015037 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1359195 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01567216 TI - Identifying and Reconciling Stakeholder Perspectives in Deploying Automated Speed Enforcement AB - Independent academic studies have shown that deploying automated speed enforcement (ASE) results in a reduction in average speed and most types of crashes and also reduces related personal injuries and casualties. Despite this, deployment of ASE remains a highly contentious issue as demonstrated by legislative language in some states and at the federal level restricting deployment. To better understand the causes for the continued conflict regarding ASE deployment, this research examined the perceptions of affected stakeholders in Minnesota. Minnesota was selected as a case study for Region 5 as automated enforcement received significant attention in its 2007 State Highway Safety Plan, but progress stopped after a court decision voided deployment of red-light cameras in Minneapolis. Rather than directly interviewing drivers, this effort sought to determine the points of view of key stakeholders who influence driver opinion. The researchers performed a review of public statements, direct interviews, and peer interviews with stakeholders, then developed responses that addressed the objections raised. A subsequent survey introduced drivers to these responses to gauge whether changes in position on ASE occurred. Statistically significant movement on ASE opinion was achieved after respondents took the survey that addressed their ASE concerns. Almost half who began with a neutral or negative opinion of ASE moved toward a more favorable opinion of it. Those who changed their opinion were more engaged and were persuaded by the evidence demonstrating the safety benefits of reduced speeds and use of ASE. Comparing those whose opinion did not move (neutral) who ended with a more positive opinion of ASE, there was no statistically significant difference in terms of age, education, or average miles driven; however, they were more likely to be female. Further analysis of the responses indicated that while limited deployment for strictly safety reasons remain the most influential reasons for support, skepticism of speed as a safety issue constitutes a substantial obstacle, even when statistics and other facts about speed related deaths were presented. The researchers also examined whether states that implement ASE in work zones have experienced appreciable differences in work-zone-related fatalities. From a statewide perspective, no trend can be seen due to ASE implementation. KW - Automated speed enforcement KW - Fatalities KW - Minnesota KW - Red light cameras KW - Stakeholders KW - Traffic crashes KW - Traffic law enforcement KW - Traffic volume UR - http://www.roadwaysafety.umn.edu/research/search/projectdetail.html?id=2015046 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1359187 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01567215 TI - Improving Railroad Grade Crossing Safety: Accident Prediction Models Using Macro- and Micro-Scale Analysis AB - Rail-related incidents, particularly those involving hazardous materials, can cause severe consequences and pose significant threats to safety, public health, and the environment. Rail safety is a significant issue in Midwestern states such as Illinois, Wisconsin, and Minnesota. This project aims at strategically positioning and allocating emergency responders and resources that may be impacted by rail incidents. The research is developing mathematical models and techniques to enable systematic analysis of the emergency response system associated with railroad incidents, in order to, for example, strategically position and allocate emergency responders and resources in anticipation of potential accidents along spatially distributed railroad networks. The research is also considering the added complexity due to vulnerability of the emergency response system itself, such as the risk of disruptions to the transportation network for first responders (e.g., blockage of railroad crossings). The outcomes from these tasks will provide fundamental understanding, operational guidelines, and practical tools to policymakers, such as federal and state agencies, to induce socio-economically favorable systems that support safe and efficient railroad industry operations. KW - Crash causes KW - Crash risk forecasting KW - Emergency response time KW - Incident management KW - Monitoring KW - Railroad grade crossings KW - Real time information KW - Safety UR - http://www.roadwaysafety.umn.edu/research/search/projectdetail.html?id=2015056 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1359186 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01567214 TI - Improving Railroad Grade Crossing Safety: Accurate Prediction of Train Arrival Times for Emergency Response Management and Driver Decision Support AB - This project is studying train delays to accurately estimate train arrival times at grade crossings to support in-vehicle driver alerts on personal navigation devices. It will also enable effective management of emergency response resources on the road network when trains at grade crossings may temporarily disconnect emergency vehicles from parts of the community they serve. The forecast of arrival times will use train-positioning information as input. The work is composed of two phases. The first phase focuses on the development of a historical algorithm to accurately model delays using train-positioning information. The second phase of the project is developing online algorithms to integrate real-time train position information into the forecasts. Amtrak data and CSX freight rail data are being used to test and validate the proposed algorithms. KW - Crash rates KW - Crash risk forecasting KW - Emergency response time KW - Incident management KW - Railroad crashes KW - Railroad grade crossings KW - Safety UR - http://www.roadwaysafety.umn.edu/research/search/projectdetail.html?id=2015057 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1359185 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01567213 TI - Improving Railroad Grade Crossing Safety: Positioning, Planning, and Operation of Emergency Response Resources and Coordination Between Jurisdictions AB - Railroad related rail incidents, particularly those involving hazardous material (hazmat), cause severe consequences and pose significant threats to safety, public health and the environment. Rail safety is a huge issue in Midwestern states such as Illinois, Wisconsin, and Minnesota. This project aims at strategically positioning and allocating emergency responders and resources in anticipation of potential accidents in a region that may be impacted by rail incidents. Mathematical models and solution techniques are developed to enable systematic analysis of the emergency response system associated with railroad incidents; e.g., to strategically position and allocate emergency responders and resources in anticipation of potential accidents along spatially distributed railroad networks. We consider the added complexity due to vulnerability of the emergency response system itself, such as the risk of disruptions to the transportation network for first-responders (e.g., blockage of railroad crossings). The outcomes from these tasks will provide fundamental understanding, operational guidelines, and practical tools to policy makers (e.g., federal and state agencies) to induce socio-economically favorable system that support safe and efficient railroad industry operations. KW - Crash rates KW - Crash risk forecasting KW - Emergency response time KW - Incident management KW - Railroad crashes KW - Railroad grade crossings KW - Safety UR - http://www.roadwaysafety.umn.edu/research/search/projectdetail.html?id=2015058 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1359184 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01567132 TI - Monitoring Infiltration Capacity of Different Types of Permeable Pavement AB - The proposed project will monitor infiltration capacity of three (3) different kinds of permeable pavement. The objective is to determine 1) how infiltration capacity varies by pavement type; 2) how infiltration capacity has changed over time for each pavement type; and 3) how infiltration capacity varies along a gradient of distance from source of clogging material. KW - Debris KW - Infiltration KW - Monitoring KW - Pavement design KW - Permeability KW - Types of pavements UR - http://www.utrc2.org/research/projects/monitoring-infiltration-capacity UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1359048 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01554040 TI - Impact of Legislative Mandates on Transportation Workforce Capacity AB - The transportation industry faces future workforce challenges. A combination of factors contribute to this including the retirement of baby boomers and a lack of trained personnel in fields such as engineering, construction management, and intelligent transportation systems (ITS). The public sector will be particularly hard hit. It faces the threat of attrition at senior levels as skilled workers move to the private sector. Most of the studies done to assess the impact of these changing trends on the transportation workforce have looked at the problem from a national or statewide perspective (Poister, 2004; Warne, 2003; Gee, 2009). However, local and regional agencies are heavily involved in not only planning and forecasting, and budgeting and financing, but also operations. Furthermore Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) have become more involved in program implementation in areas such as ITS as a result of directives contained in federal highway legislation like ISTEA and TEA-21. This research will identify the impact on metropolitan level planning agencies of legislative mandates such as SB375 and builds upon preliminary research assessing the changes in job functions and use of outsourcing to complete the SCS at MPOs in California. The proposed project will use online surveys and interviews with members of Councils of Governments and MPOs to consider a broader set of issues, including the relationship between environmental-related planning mandates and recruitment, funding, and the role if in-service training at the MPO level. Findings will contribute to our knowledge of workforce development needs as well as the potential for policy responses at the federal, state and local level. KW - Construction management KW - Engineering KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Labor force KW - Legislation KW - Metropolitan planning organizations KW - Professional employment KW - Retirement UR - http://ncst.ucdavis.edu/project/CSULB-DOT-08 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1344601 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01548520 AU - Kreis, Doug AU - Wallace, Candice AU - University of Kentucky, Lexington AU - Multimodal Transportation and Infrastructure Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - 2013 Barge and Rail Symposium: Moving Freight Between Multimodal Systems PY - 2014/08/01/Research Report SP - 10p AB - Currently, there is no annual meeting at which researchers doing work on freight transportation shipped on the inland waterways and railways gather to present their findings to a broad cross section of government, industry, and academic stakeholders. Given the role multimodal freight movements will play in steering US economic growth over the next 20-30 years, this oversight demanded corrective action. This corrective action came in the form of the 2013 Barge and Rail Symposium organized by the Kentucky Transportation Center. This conference promoted discussions between stakeholders researching the US inland waterway system and rail network as well as businesses who rely on these transportation assets. With freight transportation as its focal point, the 2013 Barge and Rail Symposium established a collegial environment in which new bonds were forged between major stakeholders and researchers as they discussed challenges and opportunities associated with moving freight in an economic, efficient, and sustainable manner through multimodal systems. KW - Barges KW - Freight transportation KW - Inland waterways KW - Multimodal transportation KW - Railroads KW - Stakeholders UR - http://www.ktc.uky.edu/files/2014/12/KTC_14_12_MTIC2_14_1F_.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1333210 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01547323 TI - Collaborating Toward the IT Highway: Linking Public and Private Investments in Intelligent Transportation Systems to Freight Flows and Supply Chain Performance AB - This work will examine the collaborative effort of public and private investments in intelligent transportation system (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 - Freight flow KW - Freight traffic KW - Implementation KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Investments KW - Supply chain management UR - http://www.wistrans.org/cfire/research/projects/09-11/ UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1334496 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01547322 TI - Integrated Strategy for Beneficial Use of Dredged Materials in Great Lakes Commercial Ports AB - Dredged material management options for Great Lakes commercial ports are diminishing. Many existing confined disposal facilities (CDFs) serving these ports are at or near capacity and high costs plus limited new site availability make prospects for new or expanded capacity increasingly unlikely. Restrictions on dredging have severe implications for freight movement in the North American midcontinent. Beneficial use (BU) of dredged materials as an alternative source of material for habitat restoration, earthworks, and transportation-related construction is emerging as a potentially attractive approach to sustainable material management in the region. This project builds directly upon previous efforts by the proposal team funded under National Center for Freight & Infrastructure Research and Education (CFIRE) RI-8: "Beneficial Use of Dredging Materials from Harbors and Channels." These previous efforts include planning of the recent beneficial use summit and development of a beneficial use technical framework. The proposed work plan is a natural extension of those efforts. KW - Dredged materials KW - Freight traffic KW - Great Lakes Region KW - Harbors KW - Materials management KW - North America KW - Ports UR - http://www.wistrans.org/cfire/research/projects/09-12/ UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1334495 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01545031 TI - Understanding Time-of-Day Variation in Truck Transport and General Traffic Emissions: Guidance for Strategic Urban Air Quality Investments AB - This project plans to improve the assessment of vehicle emissions and air quality impacts based on weekday and weekend speed and volume information, aggregated by freeway and arterial roadway type for each of 101 urban areas represented in the Texas A&M Transportation Institute's (TTI's) Urban Mobility Report (UMR). Volume and speed information (for trucks and mixed-vehicles) will be combined with speed-dependent emission factors, in a manner relevant to current Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) guidance for transportation emissions calculations. As such, methods developed in this study can support broader air quality management planning, as well as advanced applied research on mobile-source air quality impacts. KW - Air quality KW - Freight traffic KW - Periods of the day KW - Pollutants KW - Truck traffic KW - Urban areas KW - Vehicle mix KW - Weekdays KW - Weekends UR - http://www.wistrans.org/cfire/research/projects/09-07/ UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1332485 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01543143 TI - Impact of Extreme Summer Temperatures on Bridge Structures AB - Research has shown that heat waves affect thermal expansion joints, accelerate material degradation, and increase stresses in prestressed concrete girders. Specifically, experimental and analytical investigations indicate a significant increase in stresses at both the tension and compression regions of structural members exposed to extreme summer temperatures. The increase of stresses may widen current cracks and create new cracks that accelerate concrete and steel deterioration. In other words, the effects of extreme temperatures may reduce the durability, serviceability, and stability of bridge structures. This research project will investigate the effects of extreme temperatures on prestressed concrete bridges. The project includes three primary parts: (i) a laboratory and experimental investigation, (ii) development of a computer program, and (iii) finite element modeling of the stress distribution due to temperature variations. The laboratory and experimental investigation will measure temperature distribution in two full-scale sections of a BT-72 bridge girder. A computer program will be developed to determine the temperature distribution and the corresponding thermal stresses in the girder cross sections. This program will be validated through the evaluation of six American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) I girders and three AASHTO-PCI Bulb-Tee sections. Finite element modeling will be developed to include two-dimensional and three-dimensional models. The two-dimensional model will be used to determine the temperature distribution within the girder cross-sections. The two-dimensional model will be used to investigate the global behavior of the girders including the bridge deck. The project will also propose a new thermal gradient model that will account for the effects of extreme temperatures. A computer program will be developed to assist users with the quantification of the thermal stress distribution within prestressed concrete bridge girders. The minimum reinforcement ratio and placement of non-prestressed reinforcement will be refined based on the research findings. KW - Bridge decks KW - Degradation failures KW - Durability tests KW - Expansion joints KW - Girder bridges KW - Heat waves (Meteorology) KW - High temperature KW - Prestressed concrete bridges KW - Structural members KW - Summer UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1330268 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01543122 TI - Web-Based Assistance Tool to Reduce Pavement Damage by Overweight and Oversize Vehicles AB - The number of oversize/overweight (OS/OW) vehicles and associated vehicle miles of travel have increased over the past several years, resulting in a significant increase in the number of permits issued. The permitting process is a complex procedure that involves route validation based on the size and weight of the permit vehicle and the constraints and conditions of specified routes. However, the vehicle permitting process is not very efficient and routing of OS/OW vehicles could significantly reduce road damage. This project will develop a web-based routing assistance tool to optimize the OW/OS routes based on the historical and expected number of repetitions of super heavy loads. The anticipated product of this research will be a digitalized origin-destination and routing map of OW/OS vehicles with information regarding load types, historical and expected usage, pavement condition, and indications of number of repetitions and suggested time for maintenance. The objectives of this project are to (1) analyze historical data with respect to the dimension and weight of the OW/OS vehicles, their origin and destination, permitted routes, and frequency of routes; (2) develop an electronic Origin Destination (OD) Matrix and a digitalized Route Map on the basis of historical records; (3) integrate pavement data and projected damage by OW/OS vehicles into the database and visualize the information on the digital map; and (4) develop a web-based optimal routing algorithm as a supplement tool to existing routing systems. KW - Algorithms KW - Digital mapping KW - Origin and destination KW - Oversize loads KW - Overweight loads KW - Pavement distress KW - Pavement performance KW - Permits KW - Routes KW - Vehicle miles of travel UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1330044 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01543098 TI - Improving Fatigue of Polymer Concrete Overlays Using Nanomaterials AB - Polymer concrete (PC) overlays are typically used to improve friction and to protect the structural substrate in steel orthotropic bridges and in concrete bridges. Bond and fatigue failures of PC overlays due to severe weather conditions pose an expensive maintenance challenge. In spite of its superior performance compared to normal concrete overlays, these failures limit PC's ability to resist crack growth initiation due to debonding or fatigue damage. The objective of this work is to improve the bond, fracture and fatigue performances of PC overlays using nanomaterials such as carbon nanotubes (CNTs), graphene nanoparticles (GNPs) or alumina nanoparticles (ANPs). The project will compare performance of PC samples that contain these nanomaterials with the performance of samples that do not. Standard testing will be conducted on PC specimens. Fracture toughness testing and microstructural analysis of PC overlays will also be conducted. Finite element modeling will be completed. Dynamic mechanical analysis will be used to test polymer. Fatigue testing of PC overlays and PC overlays-steel composite will be completed. Implementation will produce significant improvement in the mechanical, durability, fracture and fatigue characteristics of PC. KW - Concrete overlays KW - Durability KW - Fatigue strength KW - Fatigue tests KW - Nanostructured materials KW - Nanotubes KW - Pavement performance KW - Polymer concrete UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1329829 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01543097 TI - Evaluating Rutting and Stripping Potentials of Asphalt Mixes using Hamburg Wheel Tracking Device AB - Asphalt pavement temperature in the southwest can reach one hundred degrees or more during hot summer days. At elevated temperatures, rutting is caused by large stresses in the upper portions of the asphalt layers under heavier traffic loading. Rutting has been a major issue of pavement failure throughout the southwest region. The rutting potentials of New Mexico's asphalt mixes are not known. Therefore, the development of a specification for selection of sufficiently rut- and stripping- resistant hot mix asphalt (HMA) mixes during the mix design stage, based on appropriate laboratory testing, is crucial. This study addresses the issue of repairing transportation infrastructure by preventing damage resulting from extreme weather conditions. The objective of this study is to develop a mix design specification that will reduce occurrences of placing rut- and stripping-prone mixes in roadway pavements. To achieve this objective, rutting and stripping potential of twenty HMA mixes collected from different parts of New Mexico will be determined using a Hamburg Wheel Tracking Device (HWTD) and dynamic shear rheometer. In addition, HWTD test results with be compared with the predicted rutting from pavement Mechanistic-Empirical (ME) Design models. Necessary binder testing will be conducted in the laboratory to generate data for the prediction models. In essence, the effort will focus on connecting mix design specification with Pavement ME design software to close the gap between mix design and pavement design. The expected outcome of this study is a specification that addresses rutting due to extreme temperatures that will be useful not only in New Mexico, but also in other areas with extreme hot climate. KW - High temperature KW - Hot mix asphalt KW - Hot weather KW - Mechanistic-empirical pavement design KW - Mix design KW - New Mexico KW - Pavement design KW - Rutting KW - Stripping (Pavements) UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1329828 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01543096 TI - Technology-Rich Transportation Engineering Projects AB - The U.S. is currently facing a shortage of skilled technology workers, and the situation is predicted to increasingly decline in coming years. Additionally, there is a lack of diversity in the transportation workforce in terms of gender and underrepresented minorities. Strong efforts are needed to bridge the gap. There is a need to encourage and promote civil engineering and, specifically, transportation engineering among K-12 students. Non-engineering students and freshman engineering students who have not yet decided their majors should be introduced to the exciting, modern and high-tech side of transportation engineering. This project will focus on generating interest among K-12 and college freshman students towards transportation related degrees and careers by exposing them to modern technology related projects. It will develop and implement transportation projects that are suitable for high school students enrolled in hands-on Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) courses, for all freshmen engineering majors and for upper level civil engineering courses at Louisiana Tech University (LTU). K-12 Outreach activities for high school students will be delivered via venues such as Engineering and Science Day (600 high school students per year) and Future Engineers' Day (50 elementary and middle school students per year). University Faculty Training Workshops will be conducted. Additionally, LTU will collaborate with Prairie View A&M University (PVAMU), which has hosted its residential Summer Transportation Institute (STI) program for the past decade. Under the STI program, underrepresented minority students from high schools in Texas and neighboring states are recruited and invited to participate in fun, educational activities that expose them to traditional STEM, civil engineering and transportation related concepts. This effort will enhance the STI program by implementing new, technology-rich projects for these students. This effort will increase the population of qualified transportation professionals. KW - Education KW - Louisiana KW - Texas KW - Transportation careers KW - Transportation engineering UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1329827 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01543095 TI - Impact of Severe Drought on the Compacted Expansive Clays (Subgrade) in Northern Louisiana AB - In northwestern Louisiana, most of the subsurface soils (down to a depth of 20 feet) are mainly stiff red, gray and brown fat clay known as expansive soil. Its large volume change could trigger large, deep cracks in dry weather. The high shrink-swell property can cause serious damage to foundations and highways. The issue has not been well addressed in Louisiana. The purpose of this study is to develop a clear understanding of the fundamental volume change behaviors of compacted expansive clays in Louisiana, with a focus on severe drought conditions. Geotechnical index properties will be determined for preliminary soil assessment. Soil water characteristics curve (SWCC) will be plotted to understand the water retention capacity of the clay. Similarly, the shrinkage path and the swelling potential will be determined to study soil volume changes during shrinking and swelling, respectively. In the laboratory test, the swell-consolidation test will be conducted to determine the swelling pressure and to predict heave or settlement. Among these commonly used empirical equations, one or two ground heave/settlement prediction equations will be recommended for pavement design use in Louisiana. The mechanism of longitudinal crack developed at the pavement surface caused by expansive soils will be investigated. Finite element method will be utilized to establish a model to analyze the longitudinal crack mechanism by taking into account the volume change of subgrade, interaction between pavement structure and soil. In the model, pavement, shoulder, edge-drain, base, subbase, subgrade and natural embankment will be modeled in different constitutive descriptions. Additionally, cement, lime or/and fly ash treated expansive clays in northern Louisiana will be evaluated through swelling and shrinkage tests. Improvement in subgrade shrinkage and cracking will be studied based upon key factors such as stabilized (cement, lime or fly ash) content, material type, density, pre-treatment moisture content, molding moisture content, curing time and compaction method. The research will advance in-depth understanding of the volume change properties of the expansive clays. KW - Drought KW - Expansive clays KW - Geotechnical engineering KW - Longitudinal cracking KW - Louisiana KW - Subbase (Pavements) KW - Swelling UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1329826 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01543094 TI - Development of the MASW Method for Pavement Evaluation AB - Deterioration is a major issue for transportation infrastructure around the nation. Delamination, cracking, and many other failure modes in bridge decks and pavement systems are a daily issue in the continual maintenance of transportation systems. The extreme weather across the nation further exasperates the problem of failing infrastructure by increasing the wear and tear on transportation systems through more frequent freeze-thaw cycles and larger temperature swings. To combat these problems in an economic way, highway departments need non-destructive testing (NDT) methods to determine the condition of infrastructure and the rate of decay to better plan for future repairs and replacement of transportation systems. The Multi-Channel Analysis of Surface Waves (MASW) is a NDT method developed as an improvement to the Spectral Analysis of Surface Waves (SASW) method for dynamic characterization of soil for geophysical and geotechnical engineering problems. Improvements on the SASW method include: (1) faster data collection in the field, (2) simpler and faster data processing, (3) a more robust technique of developing the experimental dispersion curve in which multiple modes of propagation can be resolved, and (4) the ability to utilize both Rayleigh and Love wave dispersion in the inversion analysis. The MASW method is gaining widespread use in the geophysical and geotechnical communities and is one of the fastest growing methods for dynamic site characterization around the world. This is primarily because MASW provides the same benefits as SASW, but in a faster and more robust way. However, the method has yet to gain widespread use in the transportation sector. This research aims to develop the MASW method into a tool for characterization of concrete and asphalt pavements, bases, and subgrades for transportation projects. In addition, the method can be used to detect damage to infrastructure such as bridge decks. To develop the MASW method as a transportation tool, the study will: (1) determine the optimal field data collection parameters for both concrete and asphalt pavements including source type, source location, number of receivers, receiver spacing, and receiver coupling, (2) determine the practical vertical and horizontal resolution with depth of MASW given the optimal arrangement, which will provide a baseline for the method's ability to resolve problem areas in the pavement, base, and subgrade system, and (3) use MASW on real bridge decks and pavement surfaces that show signs of deterioration to determine if the method is able to detect the damage when the damage is already apparent by visual inspection. The results will be compared to results from more proven methods such as SASW and Impact Echo to insure the accuracy of MASW. Implementation will assist agencies in early detection of delaminations, cracks, and concrete deterioration, which can be critical for planning future repairs or replacement of the existing infrastructure. KW - Asphalt pavements KW - Bridge decks KW - Concrete pavements KW - Data collection KW - Delamination KW - Deterioration KW - Evaluation KW - Geotechnical engineering KW - Maintenance KW - Multi-channel analysis of surface waves KW - Nondestructive tests KW - Pavement cracking KW - Subgrade (Pavements) UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1329825 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01543093 TI - Crash Severity Formulation and Analysis Under Extreme Weather Conditions AB - Weather conditions have tremendous impact on traffic crash frequency and severity. Weather-related traffic crashes result in 6,250 fatalities and over 480,000 injuries each year in the U.S. In the southwest region, unique weather extremes, including enormously high temperature, strong wind, flash flood, fog, dust, snow, etc., have resulted in more frequent and serious traffic crashes with significant loss in human life and property. Substantial research efforts are needed to better understand significant causal factors and their impacts on crash severities under extreme, adverse weather conditions for developing effective countermeasures and proper policies to minimize weather-related risks to traffic safety. This research project will develop a new approach for discovering the underlying patterns behind crash data and will identify a series of significant contributing attributes on crash severities impacted by weather extremes in the southwest region. Project objectives include: 1) designing and building a relational database that stores all the crash data, roadway geometric data, weather condition data, and traffic data; 2) developing a new hybrid approach to integrate multinomial Logit model with Bayesian network to discover the underlying patterns behind crash data; 3) identifying high crash risk locations on the selected region-wide highways and better understand crash causes under extreme weather conditions; and 4) recommending cost-effective countermeasures for reducing crash severities impacted by weather extremes. The hybrid approach is superior to the existing methods due to its flexibility to capture cause-effect relationships between contributing attributes and crash severity outcomes and better interpret their heterogeneous influence on crash severity outcomes from the attribute changes in terms of region-wide weather extremes, driver behavior, demographic features, and environmental characteristics. Through this research effort, a better understanding of significant contributing attributes and their impacts on crash severities can be achieved. Implementation will help transportation agencies to develop cost-effective countermeasures to reduce crash severities under extreme weather conditions and minimize the weather-related risks to traffic safety in the southwest region. KW - Countermeasures KW - Crash causes KW - Crash data KW - Crash severity KW - Fatalities KW - Southwestern States KW - Traffic crashes KW - Traffic safety KW - Weather conditions UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1329824 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01543090 TI - Evaluation of Surface Treatments to Mitigate ASR AB - Alkali-silica reaction (ASR) is an expansive reaction between the alkalis in cement and reactive silica in aggregates. Transportation agencies are currently experiencing the detrimental effects of ASR. Current research shows that concrete expansion due to ASR may be exacerbated by extreme weather changes (e.g. freeze/thaw cycles), which can cause further deterioration of pavements and structures. This proposed project will examine the effectiveness of silane and other potential sealers in mitigating ASR in concrete structures. The expansion that occurs within the alkali-silica gel can exceed concrete's tensile strength, which leads to cracking and concrete deterioration. For this expansion to occur, sufficient moisture must be available. When the internal relative humidity of concrete falls below 80 percent, ASR will cease and expansion will stop. One of the major objectives of this project is to examine the effectiveness of silane (and other sealers) in reducing the internal relative humidity of ASR-infected concrete. This will be achieved through two research phases. The first phase will monitor the expansion of an ASR-infected concrete barrier wall in Northwest Arkansas. The barrier was instrumented on a previous research project. This project will continue research with regard to the monitoring of expansion and relative humidity. Application rates for silane and other sealers will also be evaluated to determine the most effective mitigation regimen. The second phase will consist of casting and testing field exposure blocks containing reactive silica. The blocks will be treated with a variety of vapor barriers to reduce internal relative humidity, including silane, to determine the most effective treatment with regard to ASR expansion mitigation. KW - Alkali silica reactions KW - Arkansas KW - Concrete structures KW - Cracking KW - Deterioration KW - Expansion KW - Freeze thaw durability KW - Sealing compounds KW - Silane KW - Surface treating UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1329821 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01543054 TI - Enhancing Driver Safety During Severe Weather Conditions AB - Vehicle crashes on the roads and highways cost loss of life and damage to property. The per-person cost of traffic fatalities is $3.2M and $68,170 for injuries. According to statistics published by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, almost a quarter of the crashes happen during severe weather conditions. The weather-related crashes arise from wet pavements, rainfall, snow or sleet, icy pavement, and snowy or slushy pavement. Previous efforts on increasing safety have primarily focused on better weather prediction, better pavements, helping people survive crashes. There has not been much effort in increasing safety by helping drivers to avoid crashes by providing the drivers with real-time road weather conditions in the neighborhood during inclement weather conditions. Modern vehicles are equipped with lots of sensors for measurement of vehicle operating conditions and the surrounding weather conditions. The sensors collect information about the vehicle, such as location, speed, braking intensity, road traction, etc., some of which can represent road weather conditions. The objective of this project is to reduce vehicle crashes, fatalities and injuries due to adverse weather conditions, by alerting drivers in real-time of potentially hazardous road conditions in the region based on information from neighboring vehicles. The dissemination of vehicle and road condition information will be carried out in this project by an Ad Hoc network which will connect the vehicles in the neighborhood. An experimental test bed will be constructed using vehicles outfitted with communication capability to wirelessly communicate with neighboring vehicles using the industry-standard communication protocol for vehicular communications. A safety application will analyze the information from neighboring vehicles and develop a threat map to alert the driver of potentially hazardous road conditions. The objective of this project is to reduce vehicle crashes, fatalities and injuries due to adverse weather conditions, by alerting drivers in real-time of potentially hazardous road conditions in the immediate region, based on information from neighboring vehicles. The dissemination of vehicle and road condition information will be carried out by an Ad Hoc network connecting the vehicles in the neighborhood. The data measured by vehicle sensors will also be transmitted to road side units for transmission to servers for road condition prediction and control of road side infrastructure, such as traffic lights, work zones, dynamic message signs, pedestrian signals, and curve speed warning. KW - In vehicle sensors KW - Mobile communication systems KW - Real time information KW - Traffic safety KW - Vehicular ad hoc networks (Computer networks) KW - Weather conditions UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1329710 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01543053 TI - Resistance of Asphalt Mixes with Recycled Materials to Withstand Extreme Temperatures AB - Reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) is increasingly being incorporated into asphalt mixtures for pavement construction and preservation purposes. A study of the climate in the south central states reported an increase in the number of extreme cold days over the past century. Mixtures containing RAP and/or recycled asphalt shingles (RAS) have an increased susceptibility to low-temperature cracking. Unless proper design and performance evaluation tools are in place, the increased occurrence of extreme cold days and diurnal temperature changes, combined with an increase in the use of RAP/RAS mixes, the risk of pavement failure will continue to increase. The objective of the research is to use low-temperature tests on asphalt binders, as well as mortars with and without RAP, as a surrogate to determine the resistance of the asphalt materials to low temperature cracking. A survey of existing pavements will be conducted to identify locations where low-temperature cracking attributed to the use of recycled materials has resulted in premature failure as well as reliable performance. The materials and mixture designs from such sections will be replicated as closely as possible for this study. Field cores will be obtained and standard performance tests will be conducted on selected binders. A low- temperature creep and strength test will be standardized based upon tests recently developed in other research studies. Laboratory test results from selected field mixtures will be used to evaluate and calibrate the laboratory test method. The efficacy of rejuvenators and other remedial measures will be evaluated to determine effect on recycled asphalt pavement durability. The anticipated research deliverable is a user-friendly test method and analysis program that can be used by material and pavement engineers to evaluate cracking resistance of asphalt materials for any pavement cooling scenario (e.g. rapid cooling due to cold front). This will enhance the durability of asphalt mixtures that are increasingly incorporating higher percentages of RAP. KW - Asphalt mixtures KW - Asphalt shingles KW - Binders KW - Creep KW - Durability KW - Pavement distress KW - Pavement performance KW - Reclaimed asphalt pavements KW - Recycled materials KW - Temperature UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1329709 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01543048 TI - Design of Integral Abutment Bridges in Extreme Climate AB - Integral Abutment Bridges (IAB) are bridges without any expansion joints within the bridge deck or between the superstructure (deck and girders) and the abutments. An IAB provides many advantages during construction and maintenance phases of a bridge service life. The complex interactions occurring in an IAB between the superstructure, abutments, foundations, and soils, however, are still poorly understood. Lack of national design standards for IABs has led to a contradictory and confusing array of design and construction practices. These issues are further exacerbated by the impact of extreme variations in temperature and moisture. The research will utilize data collected from an instrumented Oklahoma IAB and computer models to develop readily implementable design and construction guidelines for IABs in areas with extreme variations in temperature and moisture. Using available climate data, such as the Oklahoma Mesonet, expected temperature and soil moisture changes across U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) Region 6 will be established. Computer models of IABs will be used to conduct a parametric study using these variations. The parameters considered will include: types, numbers, orientation, length and different installations of abutment piles; different embankment and foundation soil conditions; various abutment backfill materials such as Expandable Polystyrene (EPS) blocks, Controlled Low Strength Material (CLSM) and compacted and non-compacted granular fill; and length and skew of the bridge. The computer models will include simplified computer codes LPILE and GROUP as well as a sophisticated fully-coupled computer code TeraDysac. Effect of moisture variations in the embankment, backfill, and subsurface soil will be incorporated into the models using unsaturated soil mechanics principles. The results of the parametric study and discussions with Oklahoma Department of Transportation (ODOT) bridge engineers will be used to develop readily implementable design and construction guidelines for IABs. The developed guidelines will then be refined through discussions with bridge engineers. KW - Backfill soils KW - Bridge abutments KW - Bridge decks KW - Bridge superstructures KW - Expansion joints KW - Flowable fill KW - Jointless bridges KW - Oklahoma KW - Service life KW - Temperature KW - Weather conditions UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1329704 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01543045 TI - Evaluation and Repair of Existing Bridges in Extreme Environments AB - Deterioration of the nation's bridge infrastructure is a significant problem. In general, deterioration can be attributed to two main factors, corrosion and metallic fatigue, which work together to reduce structural capacity over time. Many of the bridges currently in service are reaching the end of their design lives or have been labeled structurally deficient either due to deterioration or differences between past and current code requirements. With existing bridges subjected to intensifying environmental conditions and increasing freight truck traffic, deterioration rates will likely increase. The goal of the project is to produce comprehensive strategies for evaluation and resilient repair of prestressed concrete and steel bridge girders subjected to extreme environments in order to increase the longevity of existing structures. The project objectives aim to improve the resiliency of existing steel and concrete bridges subjected to aggressive environments in the southern plains region through identification of existing or imminent damage and design of targeted and efficient repairs. "Fatigue critical zones" will be identified using detailed finite element analysis. Prestressed carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) retrofit solutions focused on mitigating fatigue crack initiation will be developed for the critical zones using a finite element parametric study. Methods for optimizing these solutions to best shift the mean stress into a safe range for fatigue will be developed along with corrosion resistant application and bonding strategies. Concrete bridge issues will be examined through a series of tests on scaled prestressed concrete girders subjected to accelerated corrosion. These tests will identify how end zone corrosion affects member strength through concrete deterioration and loss of bond with the prestressing steel. The results will be utilized to assess levels of corrosion for evaluation and accurate residual strength for use in design of retrofits. The assessment of corrosion level will be used to develop a simplified classification system and preliminary rating procedure. Retrofit methods will be examined with a focus on CFRP and inclusion of residual strength. Structural tests will be conducted to determine the effectiveness of repairs and recommendations will be developed for appropriate retrofit methods. The results of the two distinct aspects of the project will be synthesized to produce comprehensive recommendations. KW - Bridges KW - Corrosion KW - Deterioration KW - Extreme environments KW - Fatigue (Mechanics) KW - Finite element method KW - Prestressed concrete bridges KW - Repairing KW - Residual strength KW - Service life KW - Steel bridges KW - Temperature UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1329701 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01543044 TI - Asphalt Binder Rheological Characterization for Extreme Climate Events AB - Sustained extreme (hot and cold) climate spells result in significant pavement distresses and they appear to occur with increasing frequency. Asphalt is significantly affected by this problem but existing test protocols have not been developed with such extreme conditions in mind. This research will (1) analyze climate data to predict future weather patterns, (2) relate climate to pavement condition, and (3) use techniques of molecular modeling to elucidate the relationship between asphalt chemical composition and rheological properties. The effect of modifiers on asphalt viscoelastic properties will be of particular focus. Research findings will help build highways that better adapt to new climate realities. The outcomes of this 2-year research will be (i) development of new asphalt modification protocols, and (ii) an updated testing protocol that will evaluate the suitability of modified asphalts for extreme climate scenarios. This research approach will comprise of the following tasks: (1) Review of literature on climate pattern predictions and how climate change will impact highway transportation infrastructure; (2) Laboratory testing of asphalt binders to assess properties with regard to extreme climate events; (3) Determine desired threshold binder property values to withstand possible extreme climate events; and (4) Molecular modeling to elucidate the relationship between asphalt chemical composition, modifier type/dosage/blending procedure and the rheological properties of the binder. KW - Binders KW - Climate change KW - Condition surveys KW - Pavement distress KW - Rheological properties KW - Temperature KW - Viscoelasticity KW - Weather conditions UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1329700 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01537880 TI - Development of Protocols and Instrumentation Plan for Accelerated Structural Testing Facility AB - The Center for Advanced Infrastructure & Transportation (CAIT) anticipates completion of an innovative, full scale load testing laboratory for evaluation of new and advanced materials and devices. This instrument will allow, for the first time, the scientific study of deterioration processes on full-scale bridges. While the merits of the equipment are well documented, until recently there has been little discussion pertaining to the development of experimental protocols, instrumentation and specimen design. With the dawn of accelerated structural testing within the horizon, it is imperative for the development of these key elements be initiated and completed. The objectives of this research is threefold: (1) develop experimental protocols for conducting accelerated structural testing in the new laboratory; (2) design an initial instrumentation plan to validate the laboratory's performance metrics, and; (3) establish baseline acceleration time factors. KW - Bridges KW - Design KW - Deterioration KW - Instrumentation KW - Laboratory tests KW - Load tests KW - Structural analysis UR - https://cait.rutgers.edu/cait/research/development-protocols-and-instrumentation-plan-accelerated-structural-testing-facility UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1324259 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01537258 TI - Ultra-high Performance Fiber-Reinforced Concrete (UHPFRC) for Infrastructure Rehabilitation AB - The present study aims at developing sustainable concrete materials for infrastructure applications. The main idea is to develop a cost effective and sustainable ultra-high performance fiber-reinforced concrete to be used in concrete infrastructure applications where enhanced durability and extended service life are key. The main emphasis for this concrete is its use focusing on bridge, approach slab and pavement joint detailing and other areas where high durability and ductility demands are required. KW - Bridge approaches KW - Ductility KW - Durability KW - Fiber reinforced concrete KW - High performance concrete KW - Infrastructure KW - Service life UR - http://recast.mst.edu/projects/uhpfrcforinfrastructurerehabilitation/ UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1322561 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01530179 TI - Dynamic Simulation Models for Road Safety and its Sustainability Implications AB - Road safety is an outcome of a complex relationship between vehicles, drivers, and the infrastructure. This complexity is amplified when the socio-economic influences are added to the equation. Additionally, it is couple with the dynamic nature of the effects of all the stakeholders, which creates feedback loops that needs to be taken into consideration. Although there are few studies in road safety that takes dynamic complexity into consideration, many studies have been completed in occupational health and safety research. Methodologies such as scenario assessment based on benefit-cost framework are not capable of capturing these feedback loops; hence, a broader systemic approach is required. This research proposes a system dynamics (SD) simulation approach to understand and analyze the dynamics of road safety and the economic, social, and environmental pillars of sustainability; termed as the triple bottom line. It aims to contribute to safer roads and implements a novel simulation approach to analyze the holistic impacts of road safety. SD is a very robust simulation methodology, which has been used to model complex socio economic systems to understand the pattern of behavior over time. Majority of traditional modeling approaches fail to capture the feedback relationships among the variables in the system. Therefore, a holistic modeling approach is required to observe, analyze and model the system as a whole considering feedback mechanisms. System dynamics modeling philosophy serves best to such objectives since it assists with defining the feedback mechanisms, potential delays and multi-­&#8208;dimensional causal relationships quantitatively. The funds from this project will be mainly used to fund a graduate student and give the opportunity to the Principal Investigator (PI) to train and mentor University of Central Florida (UCF) students in a multidisciplinary field that combines safety research, dynamic simulation and sustainability. Outcomes of the project will be utilized as a case study in the PI's new graduate course (CCE 6221), Dynamics of Sustainable Systems. KW - Benefit cost analysis KW - Highway safety KW - Methodology KW - Simulation KW - Sustainable transportation KW - System dynamics UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1315587 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01528699 TI - Efficacy of the Bacteria Encapsulation Concrete Self-Healing Method in a Harsh Environment AB - Concrete is the most widely used material in construction, offering advantages in terms of moisture and fire resistance, versatility, cost, energy-efficiency, and environmental impact. Concrete provides a relatively high level of compressive strength; its tensile strength, however, is fairly low, and concrete members crack on the tension side under the application of small loads. Hence, most concrete systems generally incorporate reinforcing steel to resist tensile. While reinforcing steel receives a certain level of protection against corrosion from the surrounding concrete, the corrosion of reinforcing steel is still a predominant factor undermining the longevity of the vast concrete-based infrastructure. The presence of both air and water is required for corrosion activity to start, and, after tensile crack formation, it will accelerate. However, corrosion may be slowed down considerably if the diffusion of oxygen and harmful ions, such as chloride ions, through the concrete could be reduced. The new concept of self-healing concrete was introduced over the past decade, and many researchers are still investigating the feasibility of the process at a laboratory scale. There are two objectives for the self-healing concrete: (1) recovery of strength after the formation of cracks and (2) sealing the cracks to prevent further concrete deterioration, such as that resulting from corrosion. Several approaches for concrete self-healing are proposed in the literature, such as bacteria encapsulation, mineral admixture, chemical in glass tubing, etc. Most of the proposed methods focused on the second objective and showed promising results for eliminating or reducing the cracks that form first, when the concrete is still relatively young, under dry or wet conditions. However, very few studies have been done to show the versatility and repeatability of some the most promising approaches, such as bacterial encapsulation. KW - Air content KW - Compressive strength KW - Concrete construction KW - Corrosion KW - Cracking KW - Moisture content KW - Reinforcing steel KW - Tensile strength UR - http://www.utrc2.org/research/projects/efficacy-bacteria-encapsulation-concrete-environment UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1313521 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01528698 TI - Analysis of Curved Weathering Steel Box Girder Bridges in Fire AB - Bridge fires can present a severe hazard to the transportation infrastructure system. In fact, a nationwide survey by the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) has shown that fires have collapsed approximately three times as many bridges as earthquakes. Bridge fires are often intense as they may be fueled by gasoline from vehicles that have crashed in the vicinity of the bridge. Additionally, code recommendations and guidelines for fire protection of bridges are lax. Large fuel loads and a lack of code requirements for fire protection of bridges have left bridges quite vulnerable to fire, particularly unprotected steel bridges, which was established in recent research. The research focus has mainly been on traditional carbon steels at elevated temperatures and bridges of simple geometry such as plate girders. It is therefore necessary to expand on this research to include additional materials such as weathering steel and additional bridge geometries such as curved box girders. Weathering steel has been widely used by State DOTs for construction of steel bridges because of the maintenance cost savings. New York State DOT's preferred structural steel for bridge girders is weathering steel, and it was reported that they owned more than 1200 weathering steel bridges in 2000. 2 Weathering steel forms a protective layer of rust (patina) to prevent corrosion of the steel and only recently have the mechanical properties of weathering steel at elevated temperatures been determined. The determination of these properties allows for discussion of the behavior of weathering steels in fire. Additionally, curved box girders are often used in large highway bridge interchanges. The special geometry and loading conditions of curved box girders adds to the complexity of the bridge fire problem. The work described in this proposal is part of a larger testing program to investigate the behavior of curved weathering steel box girder bridges subject to fire loading. Phase I (to be completed as part of the proposed work) will begin with an investigation into the behavior of curved traditional (non-weathering) steel box girders subject to fire loading and Phase II (to be completed later) will expand on. KW - Box girders KW - Fire KW - Highway bridges KW - Mechanical properties KW - New York State Department of Transportation KW - Steel bridges KW - Temperature KW - Weathering steel UR - http://www.utrc2.org/research/projects/analysis-curved-weathering-steel-box UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1313520 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01528697 TI - Environmental Impacts of Oil and Gas Brine Applications for Dust and Ice Control in New York AB - Transportation agencies are required to treat roads for dust and ice control to ensure adequate safety for travelers. This is commonly achieved through application of solid and liquid chemicals. These materials can be conventional rock salt, brine from rock salt, natural brine, or oil and gas brine. Due to the high cost of treating roads for the removal of snow and ice, in states with active oil and gas wells such as New York, the potential for using this brine to control dust or ice on roads is currently being explored. Environmental concerns exist over the use of conventional oil and gas brines due to their potential high total dissolved solids and metals concentrations. They can also be elevated in organic compounds and can contain certain chemical additives. In 2012, New York State production of natural gas was 26.4 billion cubic feet while oil production was 394,507 barrels. It has been estimated that 30 percent of the brine produced alongside the oil and gas is disposed of via road spreading. Although unconventional natural gas drilling in the Marcellus Shale in New York State is currently not permitted, the extraction of Marcellus Shale gas is allowed in other states (e.g., Pennsylvania) where the associated unconventional brine is used for road spreading. If conventional or unconventional oil and gas brine is applied to roadways for dust or ice control, there is the potential for runoff to impact receiving water or roadside soil. The environmental impact of the leaching of chemical components from soil impacted with oil and gas brine applied for transportation purposes is unknown. The objective of this work is to determine the potential for chemicals found in oil and gas brine to leach from soil to groundwater. Leaching studies will be conducted to compare conventional oil and gas brine and unconventional oil and gas brine. A literature review will be conducted to determine the volume and chemical characteristics of brine applied to roadways for dust or ice control. The chemicals of concern will be identified and the leaching potential of these chemicals will be determined through toxicity characteristic leaching (TCLP) tests and synthetic precipitation leaching (SPLP) tests. This work will provide local and national transportation agencies with important data regarding the environmental impacts of oil and gas brine applications. KW - Brines KW - Deicing KW - Dust control KW - Environmental impacts KW - Groundwater KW - Leaching KW - New York (State) KW - Runoff UR - http://www.utrc2.org/research/projects/environmental-impacts-oil-and-gas-brine UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1313519 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01599873 AU - Lin, Jane AU - Nie, Yu (Marco) AU - Homem-de-Mello, Tito AU - Li, Qianfei AU - Chen, Qin AU - National Center for Freight and Infrastructure Research and Education (CFIRE) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Freight Routing for Efficient, Sustainable and Reliable Travel PY - 2014/08//Final Report SP - 63p AB - The goal of this research is to develop and evaluate routing models for efficient transportation that (1) aim to reduce travel time, (2) provide reliable paths against disruptions, and (3) factor in the emissions resulting from a given path. Specifically, the freight vehicle routing problem in this research is investigated in three aspects. The first investigation considers risk-averse freight routing problems, in which traffic conditions are treated with uncertainty (e.g., uncertain travel time or speed) and as such truck drivers are assumed as risk-averse; that is, they always prefer the expectation of a random return to the random return itself. In this research context, a random return is the random travel time itself. The second investigation incorporates microscopic vehicle operating features in an eco-routing problem. And the third investigation attempts to fill the literature gap by investigating the more realistic sustainable vehicle routing strategies by considering the joint effect of commercial vehicle load and speed on energy consumption or pollutant emissions or both. Major findings and policy implications are discussed in detail in the report. KW - Freight traffic KW - Freight transportation KW - Fuel consumption KW - Operating speed KW - Pollutants KW - Routing KW - Sustainable transportation KW - Travel time KW - Uncertainty UR - http://www.wistrans.org/cfire/documents/CFIRE_0412_FinalReport.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1408172 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01570387 AU - Haghani, Ali AU - Zhang, Yanu AU - Hamedi, Masoud AU - University of Maryland, College Park AU - Mid-Atlantic Universities Transportation Center AU - Maryland State Highway Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Impact of Data Source on Travel Time Reliability Assessment PY - 2014/08//Final Report SP - 44p AB - Travel time reliability measures are becoming an increasingly important input to the mobility and congestion management studies. In the case of Maryland State Highway Administration, reliability measures are key elements in the agency’s Annual Mobility Report that is used for both transportation planning and operations. Recent advancements in vehicle tracking technologies have provided both private sectors and transportation agencies with multiple technologies for travel time data collection. This paper investigates the effect of data source selection on travel time reliability assessment. One year data from two independent sources, probe and Bluetooth, on two major freeway corridors in Maryland are used for travel time reliability analysis. Bluetooth sensors are permanently installed on multiple points of these two corridors and probe data are provided by INRIX. A statistical method is applied to compare reliability measures obtained from both sources. Several travel time reliability performance measures are studied. Results show that some reliability measures are more sensitive to the data source than the others. It is also shown that performance measures for high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) and general purpose lanes must be calculated separately. KW - Bluetooth technology KW - Data collection KW - High occupancy vehicle lanes KW - Maryland KW - Performance measurement KW - Probe vehicles KW - Real time information KW - Reliability (Statistics) KW - Technological innovations KW - Travel time UR - http://www.mautc.psu.edu/docs/UMD-2013-01.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/55000/55200/55266/UMD-2013-01.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1360048 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01566733 AU - Dowds, Jonathan AU - Aultman-Hall, Lisa AU - Sentoff, Karen AU - Sullivan, James AU - University of Vermont, Burlington AU - Vermont Agency of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Passenger Vehicle Idling in Vermont Phase II, Final Report PY - 2014/08//Final Report SP - 40p AB - While trip-start and trip-end idling, including idling at intermediary stops along a route, cannot be completely eliminated, the duration of these discretionary idling events is largely controlled by the driver and can be considered part of travel or driver behavior. In contrast, in-travel idling events (i.e. non-discretionary) occur when the vehicle is stopped prior to reaching its destination due to conditions such as congestion or a red traffic signal that are outside the driver’s control. The distinction between discretionary and in-travel idling is critical because different interventions may be required to reduce the duration and frequency of each of these types of events. Discretionary idling events, for example, could be reduced with anti-idling ordinances and driver education programs such as eco-driving. Reducing in-travel idling, in contrast, may depend on factors such as retiming signals, reducing congestion or vehicle routing. Both in-travel and discretionary idling can be reduced or eliminated by vehicle technology which automatically shuts-off or starts-up the engine when the vehicle stops. This study is solely focused on discretionary idling that may be addressed through behavior change. In this phase of the project, in-vehicle data collection was undertaken for 10 days each with 86 volunteers in Addison County, Vermont between January and July 2013. The location and duration of each discretionary idling event was extracted from on-board instruments. The duration of discretionary idling was analyzed as a function of area type, weather, individual household and vehicle variables. The final aligned dataset covered 785.8 hours (2,828,890 seconds) of in-state vehicle operating time (VHT). These data included 15,484 separate zero speed events lasting nearly 79 hours (284,233 seconds). A total of 46% of the idling events was determined to meet the discretionary idling criteria. More that 55% of the total discretionary idling time occurred during events that lasted over 1 minute. In total, approximately 1% of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from passenger vehicles in this sample were associated with discretionary idling. No relationship between idling duration and residential or retail density was found though more total idling events were recorded in built-up areas such as metropolitan areas than in open spaces and rural areas. More idling takes place on weekdays and during daytime hours. This is not unexpected as these times correspond to more travel and the types of locations where more trip ends occur. Women and drivers of older vehicles are most likely to be longer idlers. This provides limited guidance with which to identify targets for future programs for idling limitations, education and enforcement. However, discretionary idling was present for a significant portion of the sample suggesting that overall general education is critical. No association between daily high or low temperature was found for discretionary idling in this sample of volunteers. This is in contrast to the Phase I of this study where paired analysis was possible because given individuals were sampled twice, once in the summer and once in the winter. Together this suggests that while small differences exist between seasons, larger differences exist between individuals, which likely related to knowledge level or travel patterns/needs. KW - Behavior KW - Data collection KW - Drivers KW - Education KW - Engine idling KW - Greenhouse gases KW - Motor vehicles KW - Time duration KW - Vermont UR - http://transctr.w3.uvm.edu/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Idling-final-report-phase-2-to-VTrans_optimized.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1356474 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01555807 AU - Gong, Jie AU - Yu, Yi AU - Roda, Andrés M AU - Rutgers University, Piscataway AU - New Jersey Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - 3D Laser Scanning for Quality Control and Assurance in Bridge Deck Construction PY - 2014/08//Final Report SP - 37p AB - The inspection of installations of rebar and other embedded components in bridge deck construction is a tedious task for field inspectors, requiring considerable field time for measurement and verification against code requirement. The verification of rebar and dowel locations after placement of concrete is another difficult but important task. Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) is often used to verify the locations of dowels and rebar after the construction of bridge deck is completed. Although GPR is an effective method for this purpose, the discovery of quality problems, if there is any, associated with rebar installations is often too late to secure timely and cost efficient repair. There is a need for proactive quality control and assurance methods that can assist field inspectors to quickly inspect and monitor code compliance of installations of rebar and other embedded components before and during the placement of concrete. In this project, the utility of 3D laser scanning for quality control of bridge deck construction is investigated. The authors demonstrated the common workflow for field scan collection and data analysis for verifying bridge deck construction quality. The authors focused on a set of parameters that need to be monitored during bridge deck construction. The research results suggested that with careful planning and well designed workflow, 3D laser scanning is an effective method for controlling the quality of bridge deck construction, and state departments of transportation (DOTs) should consider incorporating 3D scanning as a proactive quality control method. KW - 3-D laser scanning KW - Bridge construction KW - Bridge decks KW - Inspection KW - Lasers KW - Location KW - Monitoring KW - Quality assurance KW - Quality control KW - Reinforcing bars KW - Workflow UR - https://cait.rutgers.edu/files/CAIT-UTC-026-final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1342958 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01551369 AU - Mattson, Jeremy AU - Small Urban and Rural Transit Center AU - National Center for Transit Research AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Rural Transit Fact Book 2014 PY - 2014/08//Final Report SP - 40p AB - The Rural Transit 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). The 2011 edition of the Rural Transit Fact Book was the first published by the Small Urban and Rural Transit Center (SURTC) and included Rural NTD data for 2007-2009. Since 2011, annual updates have been made to the Fact Book to provide updated data. The 2014 edition includes 2012 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 - Statistics KW - Travel behavior KW - Trend (Statistics) KW - United States KW - Vehicle fleets UR - http://www.surtc.org/transitfactbook/downloads/2014-rural-transit-fact-book.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1340548 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01549018 AU - Miskewitz, Robert AU - Barone, Daniel AU - Rutgers University, New Brunswick AU - University Transportation Research Center AU - New Jersey Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Landfill Closure with Dredged Materials - Desktop Analysis PY - 2014/08//Final Report SP - 24p AB - This report describes a Rutgers University project for the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) designed to analyze the potential for closure of New Jersey landfills using dredge material from existing Confined Disposal Facilities (CDF). The project included an update of the existing New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) landfill database, the development of a rating system to identify sites with the highest potential to utilize dredged material for their closure, and the identification and preliminary investigation of the top five candidate landfills based on this rating system. Due to information developed during the project it was determined that all but four of the landfills assessed for closure were considered unsuitable for closure. As a result only four landfills were selected and investigated further. The results of this project can be used by the NJDOT to facilitate the efficient closure of selected landfills, the beneficial reuse of the materials in CDFs, and the continued use of the state’s CDFs and dredging activities. KW - Dredged materials KW - Environmental impacts KW - Landfills KW - New Jersey KW - Ratings KW - Recycled materials KW - Waste management UR - http://www.utrc2.org/sites/default/files/pubs/Final-Landfill-Closure.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1336274 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01548638 AU - Hazlett, Ryan AU - Cresswell, Lauren AU - University of Texas, Austin AU - Southwest Region University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Examining the Market Potential for Natural-Gas-Powered Trucks: Barriers and Opportunities for Promoting Environmental Sustainability and Economic Prosperity PY - 2014/08//Final Report SP - 70p AB - Over the past decade, public concerns have grown over America's energy use and production. Pushes towards more environmentally friendly and sustainable sources of energy have moved out of fringe politics and into mainstream political discourse. Advances in drilling technology and increased exploration of shale gas plays have made natural gas more available and accessible. The abundance of natural gas has led to its growing role in the U.S. electric production and has provided the United States with an opportunity to become a net exporter of energy in the near future. The availability of natural gas, coupled with uncertainty in the liquid petroleum market, has prompted stakeholders to search out additional uses for this low-cost energy source. The result has been a large-scale effort to encourage the use of natural gas-based fuel within the trucking industry. Commercial long-haul trucks and truck fleets are a prime target of these efforts. The number of natural gas fueling stations around the country is increasing, and there are growing investments in new technologies and government incentives to retrofit and upgrade the nation's trucking fleet, making the logistics of a large-scale switch from a liquid petroleum-based fuel to natural gas much less complicated. Through a detailed analysis of natural gas trucks, fueling infrastructure, and case studies, this report seeks to reach conclusions over the role natural gas vehicles (NGVs) should play in the future U.S. transportation system. KW - Case studies KW - Market assessment KW - Natural gas KW - Natural gas vehicles KW - Policy KW - Service stations KW - Trucks KW - Vehicle fleets UR - http://swutc.tamu.edu/publications/technicalreports/600451-00078-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1335914 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01548508 AU - Motamed, Arash AU - Nyanhongo, Solomon AU - Karki, Pravat AU - Bhasin, Amit AU - University of Texas, Austin AU - Southwest Region University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Fatigue and Fracture Properties of Aged Binders in the Context of Reclaimed Asphalt Mixes PY - 2014/08//Final Report SP - 55p AB - Evidence in the literature indicates that the stiffness of the asphalt binder increases and ductility of the binder decreases with oxidative aging. Typically for unmodified asphalt binders, increase in stiffness or decrease in ductility is regarded as detrimental to the fatigue cracking or fracture resistance of the asphalt binder. However, fundamentally the stiffness of the binder and its strength are two different attributes that may not necessarily be related to each other. There is very little information in the literature that relates the fatigue cracking resistance or strength of the asphalt binder to the extent of oxidative aging. This information is not only important to assess the durability and cracking life of asphalt pavements but is also very important in the context of reclaimed asphalt pavements (RAP). The use of RAP not only reduces the waste produced from milling and removing the asphalt pavement layers at the end of their service life, but also reduces the amount of asphalt required for the construction of new roadways. In an effort to improve sustainable practices associated with pavement constructions, state departments of transportation (DOTs) have been gradually increasing the allowable percentage of RAP in new asphalt mixtures over the last two decades. However, the asphalt binder in RAP is highly oxidized and is deemed to be susceptible to load related fatigue cracking. The focus of this study was to investigate the effect of asphalt binder oxidation on its fracture properties and fatigue cracking performance. To this end, fatigue cracking resistance of an asphalt binder was measured at different levels of aging using a standardized glass bead composite. The glass bead composite simulates the stress state that asphalt binders experience in the field, while it excludes aggregate-asphalt binder interactions. Furthermore, this research also investigated the effect of aging on fracture properties of an asphalt binder by conducting monotonic fracture tests using a poker chip test geometry. The findings from this study provide a better understanding of the effect of aging on the fracture and fatigue properties of asphaltic materials. KW - Aging (Materials) KW - Bituminous binders KW - Fatigue cracking KW - Fracture properties KW - Oxidation KW - Reclaimed asphalt pavements KW - Stiffness UR - http://swutc.tamu.edu/publications/technicalreports/600451-00076-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1335915 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01546165 AU - Sinh, Hung Nguyen AU - Riedman, Michelle AU - Letchford, Christopher AU - O'Rourke, Michael AU - Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute AU - University Transportation Research Center AU - New York State Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Full-Scale Investigation of Wind-Induced Vibrations of Mast-Arm Traffic Signal Structures PY - 2014/08//Final Report SP - 124p AB - Because of their inherent flexibility and low damping ratios, cantilevered mast-arm traffic signal structures are susceptible to wind-induced vibrations. These vibrations cause structural stresses and strains to develop in a cyclical fashion which can lead to reduced service life due to fatigue and, in extreme cases, full collapse. In 2001, after the collapse of several of these structures throughout the United States, American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) code standards were updated to include fatigue provisions for traffic signal supporting structures. In New York State, there is particular concern regarding structures spanning longer than 14 meters which currently do not meet these updated fatigue provisions. To address this concern, a full-scale experiment was conducted using an existing 25 meter mast-arm traffic signal structure, located in Malta, NY, in which the response of the structure was observed in relation to in-situ wind conditions. In previous studies, high-amplitude vertical vibrations of mast-arm traffic signal structures have been shown to be due to vortex shedding, a phenomenon in which alternatingly shed, low-pressure vortices induce oscillating forces onto the mast-arm causing a cross-wind response. When the frequency of vortices being shed from the mast-arm corresponds to the natural frequency of the structure, a resonant condition is created. The resonant condition causes the long-lasting, high-amplitude vibrations, which may lead to the fatigue failure of these structures. Turbulence in the approach flow is known to affect the cohesiveness of vortex shedding. Results from this full-scale experiment indicate that the surrounding terrain conditions, which affect the turbulence intensity of the wind, greatly influence the likelihood of occurrence of longlasting, high-amplitude vibrations and also impact whether reduced service life due to fatigue is likely to be a concern. KW - Failure KW - New York (State) KW - Service life KW - Structural supports KW - Traffic signals KW - Turbulence KW - Vibration KW - Vortex shedding KW - Wind UR - http://www.utrc2.org/sites/default/files/pubs/Final-Mast-Arm-Traffic-Signal%20%282%29.pdf UR - https://www.dot.ny.gov/divisions/engineering/technical-services/trans-r-and-d-repository/C-10-07%20Final%20Report_Aug-2014.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1331987 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01545581 AU - Kaseko, Mohamed AU - Nyagah, Peris AU - Teng, Hualiang (Harry) AU - Mineta National Transit Research Consortium AU - San Jose State University AU - University of Nevada, Las Vegas AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Enhancing Transit Service in Rural Areas and Native American Tribal Communities: Potential Mechanisms to Improve Funding and Service PY - 2014/08//Final Report SP - 114p AB - Primary funding for rural transit comes from federal and state Departments of Transportation but is inadequate to provide desired transit services. This study identifies and documents non-traditional funding sources that rural transit providers and planners could pursue and acquire to close that funding gap. In addition, the report provides transit operational strategies to more efficiently utilize available funding and transit resources: travel reduction, provision of flexible services, service coordination, and use of technology. KW - Government funding KW - Native Americans KW - Public transit KW - Rural areas KW - Tribal government UR - http://transweb.sjsu.edu/PDFs/research/1147-improving-transit-in-native-american-communities.pdf UR - https://merritt.cdlib.org/d/ark%3A%2F13030%2Fm50305n0/1/producer%2F890415059.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1323205 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01544690 AU - Phares, Brent M AU - Shane, Jennifer AU - Dahlberg, Justin AU - Dang, Hongtao AU - Iowa State University, Ames AU - Iowa Department of Transportation AU - Mid-America Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Methods for Removing Concrete Decks from Bridge Girders PY - 2014/08//Final Report SP - 73p AB - With ever tightening budgets and limitations of demolition equipment, states are looking for cost-effective, reliable, and sustainable methods for removing concrete decks from bridges. The goal of this research was to explore such methods. The research team conducted qualitative studies through a literature review, interviews, surveys, and workshops and performed small-scale trials and push-out tests (shear strength evaluations). Interviews with bridge owners and contractors indicated that concrete deck replacement was more economical than replacing an entire superstructure under the assumption that the salvaged superstructure has adequate remaining service life and capacity. Surveys and workshops provided insight into advantages and disadvantages of deck removal methods, information that was used to guide testing. Small-scale trials explored three promising deck removal methods: hydrodemolition, chemical splitting, and peeling. KW - Bridge decks KW - Demolition KW - Girders KW - Literature reviews KW - Rehabilitation (Maintenance) KW - Service life KW - Shear strength KW - Surveys KW - Workshops UR - http://publications.iowa.gov/17908/1/IADOT_InTrans_MTC_TR-647_Methods_Phares_Removing_Concrete_Decks_Bridge_Girders_2014_final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1329737 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01544670 AU - Park, Philip AU - Rew, Younho AU - Baranikumar, Aishwarya AU - Texas A&M Transportation Institute AU - Southwest Region University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Controlling Conductivity of Asphalt Concrete with Graphite PY - 2014/08 SP - 106p AB - Electrically conductive asphalt concrete has a huge potential for various multifunctional applications such as self-healing, self-sensing, and deicing. In order to utilize the full spectrum of applications of electrically conductive asphalt composites, precise control of the asphalt mixture resistivity is needed. Most of the previous research using conductive fibers as the primary conductive additives observed a sudden transition from the insulated to conductive phase, commonly known as the percolation threshold, which obstructs more precise conductivity control. Aiming to control the electrical conductivity of asphalt concrete with a smooth transition from the insulated to conductive phase, the researchers have selected graphite powders as an alternative conductive additive in this study. Nine types of graphite having different particle shape, size, and origin were mixed with asphalt binders, and their effects on imparting conductivity were investigated. Based on the results, the research team selected two types of graphite and evaluated the effects on the electrical conductivity of asphalt concrete. The team also examined the effects of aggregate gradation, binder content, and binder type. The results showed that the electrical conductivity of asphalt mastic is sensitive to the graphite type. The natural flake graphite is effective to mitigate the percolation threshold, and a sufficiently high conductivity can be achieved by replacing a part of the fillers with graphite (the conductivity ranged from 10ˉ6 to 10ˉ²/Ω•cm). The results also showed that the binder type does not make a significant change in the mixture conductivity, but the aggregate gradation brings approximately two order differences in the volume resistivity. Mechanical performance of the conductive asphalt is also an important factor for practical field applications. The indirect tension test results showed that the addition of graphite improves the indirect tensile strength up to 41 percent. The electrical and mechanical data obtained from this study provide essential information on the selection of graphite type and asphalt mixture design to achieve the proper electrical conductivity required for the probable multifunctional applications of asphalt concrete, which will lead to technical innovations for sustainable pavements. KW - Aggregate gradation KW - Asphalt concrete KW - Binder content KW - Bituminous binders KW - Electrical conductivity KW - Graphite KW - Mix design KW - Tensile strength UR - http://swutc.tamu.edu/publications/technicalreports/600451-00025-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1331766 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01544668 AU - Lowe, Kate AU - University of New Orleans AU - Southwest Region University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Regional Decision-Making and Competitive Funding: Metropolitan Planning Organizations and the Transportation Investments Generating Economic Recovery Program PY - 2014/08 SP - 42p AB - Transportation benefits and economic stimulus were behind the creation of the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) program in 2009. New transportation funding programs exist in a landscape of other programs, and in addition extensive federal rules require that state-designated metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) lead regional transportation planning and produce near and long-range plans. This report examines the potential for the TIGER program to conflict with these mandated planning processes. To learn about the connection between MPOs, their planning documents, and TIGER applications, the primary dataset for analysis was a survey of metropolitan planning organizations. The roles that MPOs and their planning documents played in TIGER application processes were highly varied. While some MPOs were local project sponsors and others advised or provided data, a sizable share of MPOs reported no role in the regional process to select projects for TIGER applications, despite federally mandated regional coordination and planning. MPO capacity appears to differ significantly and to affect the roles that MPOs play in regional processes. While there are already additional planning requirements for larger urbanized areas, further differentiation of roles and expectations for MPOs may be appropriate. New programs, especially those with short time lines, may obscure the process for joint decision making and complicate adherence to regional planning mandates. Results on MPO roles and the relationship between plans and candidate projects suggest that MPOs are not always the decision site as language in plans would suggest, but they can be an important site for convening stakeholders. KW - Applications KW - Decision making KW - Financing KW - Metropolitan planning organizations KW - Regional planning KW - Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery UR - http://swutc.tamu.edu/publications/technicalreports/600451-00106-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1329814 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01544615 AU - Riding, Kyle A AU - DonJuan, Jose AU - Mid-America Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Evaluation of Bonding Agent Application on Concrete Patch Performance PY - 2014/08//Final Report SP - 84p AB - The durability of partial depth repair is directly related to the bond strength between the repair material and existing concrete. Bond strength development sensitivity to wait time with the use of bonding agents in partial depth repair was investigated in this study. Cementitious grouts, epoxy, acrylic latex, and polyvinyl acetate were used as bonding agents for portland cement concrete repair material. Portland cement concrete repairs with dry and saturated surface dry conditions, and three rapid repair cementitious materials were used for comparative purposes to investigate the benefits over other alternatives for using bonding agents. Laboratory samples were made by placing repair concrete 0, 2, 5, 10, and 30 minutes after bonding agent application. The bond strength was then measured using a direct shear test. Field tests were performed using the repair materials and bonding agents. When the agents were applied in the field, the wait times between bonding agent application and repair material application were 0, 15, 30, and 45 minutes. Seven-day and 5-month direct tension pull-off tensile tests were performed during the field experiment. The data from both experiments show that when using cement grout bonding agents, after 15 minutes, bond loss can be expected. Wait times did not have a significant effect on epoxy and acrylic latex bonding agents as long as they were placed before setting. The polyvinyl acetate agent and repair materials can develop high bond strength in laboratory settings, but when used in the field, the bond strengths experience strength loss with time. The results also showed that adequate bond strength for many repairs can be obtained by placing the repair concrete on a substrate in saturated surface dry condition. KW - Bond strength (Materials) KW - Bonding KW - Cement grouts KW - Epoxides KW - Field tests KW - Patching KW - Polyvinyl acetate KW - Portland cement concrete KW - Shear tests KW - Tension tests UR - http://matc.unl.edu/assets/documents/matcfinal/Riding_EvaluationofBondingAgentApplicationonConcretePatchPerformance.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1331070 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01544601 AU - Zha, Liteng AU - Songchitruksa, Praprut AU - Balke, Kevin N AU - Texas A&M Transportation Institute AU - Southwest Region University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Next Generation Safety Performance Monitoring at Signalized Intersections Using Connected Vehicle Technology PY - 2014/08 SP - 72p AB - Crash-based safety evaluation is often hampered by randomness, lack of timeliness, and rarity of crash occurrences. This is particularly the case for technology-driven safety improvement projects that are frequently updated or replaced by newer ones before it is possible to gather adequate crash data for a reliable and defensible before-after evaluation. Surrogate safety data are commonly used as an alternative to crash data; however, its current practice is still resource intensive and subject to human errors. The advent of connected vehicle technology allows vehicles to communicate with each other and infrastructure wirelessly. This platform also offers the opportunity for automated and continuous tracking of vehicle trajectories and signal status at the facilities in real time. These types of data can potentially be extracted and used to detect the deficiencies in the safety performance of the facility operation. This project examines the viability of long-term monitoring of connected vehicle data for safety performance evaluation. As limited saturation of onboard equipment (OBE) is expected in the near-term evolution, the study focuses on a connected vehicle application that can process data elements from OBEs via vehicle-to-infrastructure communications using standard message sets. To accomplish the objective, a signalized intersection test bed was created in VISSIM while the wireless communications capability and the application were implemented using Car-to-Everything Application Programming Interface. The evaluation results indicated that the application can effectively detect changes in safety performance at full market penetration. Sensitivity analysis showed that at least 40 percent penetration rate is desirable for reliable safety deficiency detection under light to moderate traffic volume conditions. The observation period can be extended to compensate for low sample size under low OBE market penetrations. The required observation periods vary with the types of safety indicators being collected and the levels of OBE saturation. KW - Driver information systems KW - Market share KW - Mobile communication systems KW - Performance measurement KW - Safety KW - Sensitivity analysis KW - Signalized intersections KW - Traffic simulation KW - Vehicle electronics KW - Vehicle to infrastructure communications KW - Wireless communication systems UR - http://swutc.tamu.edu/publications/technicalreports/161303-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1329813 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01544517 AU - Jungwirth, Scott AU - Cao, Ling AU - Shi, Xianming AU - Western Transportation Institute AU - Alaska University Transportation Center AU - Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Developing Locally Sourced Brine Additive for Anti-Icing PY - 2014/08//Final Report SP - 79p AB - The objective of this project was to develop a series of anti-icers tailored to meet the varying requirements of highway anti-icing performance, cost-effectiveness, and minimized corrosion and environmental impact for typical road weather scenarios and user priorities in the three Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (ADOT&PF) regions. Development and evaluation of potential deicing chemicals, additives, and mixtures made from local agricultural products or the by-products of local distilleries/breweries or other manufacturing processes for use on roadways and other transportation facilities were included as the project’s research. The use of sustainable resources offers a cost-effective alternative to high-cost proprietary products that enhance the performance characteristics of salt brine for anti-icing on Alaska roads. This research was accomplished through literature review, agency surveys, and laboratory investigation followed by field operational tests. Specifically, locally sourced salt brine additives suitable for anti-icing during winter maintenance in Alaska were developed and tested. Several test methods, such as differential scanning calorimetry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and SHRP H205.2 Test Method for Ice Melting of Liquid Deicing Chemicals, were used to determine the performance of various anti-icing formulations relative to traditional sodium chloride (NaCl) and magnesium chloride (MgCl2) liquids. The negative effect of anti-icing formulations on bare steel and concrete were investigated to identify the most infrastructure-friendly anti-icing formulation. KW - Additives KW - Alaska KW - Alternatives analysis KW - Anti-icing KW - Corrosion KW - Field tests KW - Laboratory tests KW - Literature reviews KW - Local materials KW - Performance measurement KW - Salts KW - Surveys KW - Winter maintenance UR - http://tundra.ine.uaf.edu/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/AUTC51006FinalReport04252014.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1331608 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01543108 AU - Rayle, Lisa AU - Shaheen, Susan AU - Chan, Nelson AU - Dai, Danielle AU - Cervero, Robert AU - University of California Transportation Center (UCTC) AU - California Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - App-Based, On-Demand Ride Services: Comparing Taxi and Ridesourcing Trips and User Characteristics in San Francisco PY - 2014/08 SP - 18p AB - Ridesourcing’s usage and impacts are not well understood. Key questions include: how ridesourcing and taxis compare with respect to trip types, customers, and locations served; whether ridesourcing complements or competes with public transit; and potential impacts on vehicle miles traveled. The authors address these questions using an intercept survey. In spring 2014, 380 complete surveys were collected from three ridesourcing “hot spots” in San Francisco. Survey results are compared with matched-pair taxi trip data and results of a previous taxi user survey. The findings indicate ridesourcing serves a previously unmet demand for convenient, point-to-point urban travel. Although taxis and ridesourcing share similarities, the findings show differences in users and the user experience. Ridesourcing wait times are markedly shorter and more consistent than those of taxis, while ridesourcing users tend to be younger, own fewer vehicles and more frequently travel with companions. Ridesourcing appears to substitute for longer public transit trips but otherwise complements transit. Impacts on overall vehicle travel are ambiguous. Future research should build on this exploratory study to further understand impacts of ridesourcing on labor, social equity, the environment, and public policy. KW - Demand responsive transportation KW - Demographics KW - Mode choice KW - Regulation KW - Ridesharing KW - San Francisco (California) KW - Socioeconomic factors KW - Surveys KW - Taxi services KW - Travel behavior KW - Urban transportation policy UR - http://uctc.net/research/papers/UCTC-FR-2014-08.pdf UR - https://merritt.cdlib.org/d/ark%3A%2F13030%2Fm5x93rdg/1/producer%2F890242310.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1323136 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01543103 AU - Smart, Michael J AU - Ralph, Kelcie M AU - Taylor, Brian D AU - Turley, Carole AU - Brown, Anne E AU - University of California, Los Angeles AU - University of California Transportation Center (UCTC) AU - California Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Honey, Can You Pick-Up Groceries on Your Way Home? Analyzing Activities and Travel among Students and in Non-traditional Households PY - 2014/08 SP - 90p AB - This report adds to a growing body of scholarship that examines how activity participation and transportation are related, focusing on the trade-offs made in between going places and doing things. The authors focus on patterns and trends in household-related travel and the activities that prompt it. In 2009 journeys to and from work accounted for just 16 percent of all metropolitan person trips. By comparison, travel for other, more domestic purposes collectively accounts for 53 percent. Accordingly, the focus in this report is on the strongly gendered within-household tradeoffs among (a) unpaid household-maintenance work, (b) traveling to and from jobs and school, and (c) work and activities at work and school. The authors examine how activity participation and related travel differ by household type. This ongoing evolution in the structure of households and the travel they engender has important implications for public policy KW - Activity choices KW - American Time Use Survey KW - Demographics KW - Gender KW - Households KW - Socioeconomic factors KW - Students KW - Travel behavior KW - Trip generation UR - http://uctc.net/research/papers/UCTC-FR-2014-07.pdf UR - https://merritt.cdlib.org/d/ark%3A%2F13030%2Fm5sj30qk/1/producer%2F890240608.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1323137 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01541506 AU - MacArthur, John AU - Kobel, Nicholas AU - National Institute for Transportation and Communities AU - Oregon Transportation Research and Education Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Regulations of E-Bikes in North America: A Policy Review PY - 2014/08 SP - 57p AB - Although some states have created specific e-bike legislation, other states’ legislation surrounding e-bikes is best described as nebulous. The confusion stems from the wide variety of devices and technologies on the market; perceived overlap of legal entities' jurisdiction over the device, which under certain circumstances can be either a consumer product or a motor vehicle; outdated laws and regulations; and inconsistency of terms. At the U.S. federal level, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) are charged with the safety and manufacturing regulations of such devices. They have agreed on a term, low-speed electric bicycle, that is commonly called an e-bike. The federal definition does not necessarily translate to states and cities, which have vastly differing and vague state laws and municipal codes, some of which have prohibited the use of some types of e-bikes on all public ways, like in New York City. Even colloquial conceptions of e-bikes are not standardized, ranging from a scooter-like vehicle (scooter-style electric bike (SSEB)) to a standard bicycle with a small hub motor (bicycle-style electric bike (BSEB)). The term e-bike is used primarily as a generic term in the U.S. to refer to most electric-assist bicycles. This does create some confusion because people in the U.S. and in other countries use the term e-bike for electric scooter-type devices, which have different regulatory requirements than bicycles. The purpose of this paper is to outline the different classifications of e-bikes—what they are and what they are not—and to help shed light on aspects of federal and state legislation of e-bikes. In addition, this paper explores the potential conflicts these regulations may cause for the adoption of this technology. KW - Bicycles KW - North America KW - Policy, legislation and regulation KW - Scooters KW - Technological innovations UR - http://ppms.otrec.us/media/project_files/NITC-RR-564_Regulations_of_E-Bikes_in_North_America_1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1324907 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01541503 AU - Trejo, David AU - Barbosa, André R AU - Link, Tim AU - Oregon State University, Corvallis AU - Oregon Department of Transportation AU - Pacific Northwest Transportation Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Seismic Performance of Circular Reinforced Concrete Bridge Columns Constructed with Grade 80 Reinforcement PY - 2014/08//Final Report SP - 308p AB - This project assessed the use of ASTM A706 Grade 80 reinforcing bars in reinforced concrete columns. Grade 80 is not currently allowed in reinforced concrete columns due to lack of information on the material characteristics and column performance. Six half-scale, circular columns were tested: three constructed with Grade 60 reinforcement and three constructed with Grade 80 reinforcement. Designs followed standard design methodologies used by State Highway Agencies (including American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO)). Results indicate that columns constructed with Grade 80 reinforcement performed similar to columns constructed with conventional ASTM A706 Grade 60 reinforcement. Computational modeling was performed using OpenSees for all six columns. Results indicate that the columns constructed with Grade 80 reinforcement achieved similar resistance and displacement and curvature ductility values when compared with the reference columns constructed with Grade 60 reinforcement. The columns constructed with Grade 60 reinforcement showed larger hysteretic energy dissipation than the columns constructed with Grade 80 reinforcement. KW - Columns KW - Computer models KW - Dislocation (Geology) KW - Earthquake resistant design KW - High strength steel KW - Reinforced concrete bridges KW - Reinforcing bars UR - http://www.oregon.gov/ODOT/TD/TP_RES/ResearchReports/14RS0500_610_SeismicReportFinal.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1326515 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01538265 AU - Jin, Peter J AU - Fagnant, Dan AU - Hall, Andrea AU - Walton, C Michael AU - University of Texas, Austin AU - Southwest Region University Transportation Center AU - Texas Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Policy Implications of Emerging Vehicle and Infrastructure Technology PY - 2014/08 SP - 52p AB - This report considers a broad range of emerging transportation technologies that have potential for enhancing travel on and operations of the Texas transportation system. It provides an overview of technology classifications and assesses the policy implications of emerging vehicle and infrastructure technology classifications—namely, connected, autonomous, and electric vehicle technologies—as well as cloud computing and crowdsourcing in the context of transportation systems and services. The researchers assessed these technologies in terms of their ability to further state and national transportation goals. Also assessed were barriers to adoption and promotion at various development stages. Research is presented on new policies and institutional changes that are being implemented outside of Texas. Finally, policy implications for Texas are discussed. KW - Cloud computing KW - Crowdsourcing KW - Electric power generation and transmission KW - Electric vehicles KW - Government agencies KW - Intelligent vehicles KW - Mobile communication systems KW - Policy KW - Technological innovations KW - Texas UR - http://swutc.tamu.edu/publications/technicalreports/600451-00087-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1324130 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01538234 AU - Amdal, James R AU - Howlett, Marc AU - University of New Orleans AU - Southwest Region University Transportation Center AU - Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Use of Containers to Carry Bulk and Break Bulk Commodities and Its Impact on Gulf Region Ports and International Trade PY - 2014/08//Final Report SP - 67p AB - The University of New Orleans Transportation Institute was tasked by the Louisiana Transportation Research Center (LTRC) in mid-2012 to assess the use of containers to transport bulk and break bulk commodities and to determine what their impact would be on ports within Louisiana and along the Gulf Coast once the Panama Canal Expansion (PCE) is complete in 2015. LTRC’s principal interest was on the impact of the growing container trade in the emerging maritime and international trade world as a result of the PCE and the resultant all-water routes to/from Asia via Gulf Coast and U.S. East Coast ports. They were primarily interested in the impacts of shipping services calling on Gulf ports, specific import and export commodities shipped by container, and the identification of specific commodities shipped by container which can grow and under what circumstances. KW - Bulk cargo KW - Container terminals KW - Container traffic KW - Exports KW - Gulf Coast KW - Imports KW - Louisiana KW - Panama Canal KW - Ports UR - http://swutc.tamu.edu/publications/technicalreports/600451-00105-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1324129 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01538222 AU - Fagnant, Daniel J AU - Kockelman, Kara M AU - University of Texas, Austin AU - Southwest Region University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - The Future of Fully Automated Vehicles : Opportunities for Vehicle- and Ride-Sharing, with Cost and Emissions Savings PY - 2014/08 SP - 102p AB - Fully automated or autonomous vehicles (AVs) hold great promise for the future of transportation. By 2020 Google, auto manufacturers and other technology providers intend to introduce self-driving cars to the public with either limited or fully autonomous capabilities. AVs may be able to save the U.S. economy up to $37.7 billion in comprehensive costs from safety, mobility and parking improvements at the 10% market penetration, and potentially up to $447.1 billion with 90% market penetration. Even with only 10% market share, over 1,000 lives could be saved annually. However, realizing these potential benefits while avoiding potential pitfalls requires more than just technology advancements: significant barriers to a successful rollout include AV costs, liability, security, and privacy. Once fully self-driving vehicles can safely and legally drive unoccupied on U.S. streets, a new transportation mode for personal travel looks set to arrive. This new mode is the shared automated vehicle (SAV), combining on-demand service with self-driving capabilities. This work simulates a fleet of SAVs operating within the city of Austin, using Austin’s transportation network and travel demand flows. This model incorporates dynamic ride-sharing (DRS), allowing two or more travelers with similar origins, destinations and departure times to share a ride. Model results indicate that each SAV could replace around 10 conventionally-owned household vehicles while serving over 56,000 person-trips. SAVs’ ability to relocate while unoccupied between serving one traveler and the next may cause an increase of 4-8% more travel; however, DRS can result in reduced overall vehicle-miles traveled (VMT), given enough SAV-using travelers willing to ride-share. SAVs should produce favorable emissions outcomes, with an estimated 16% less energy use and 48% lower volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions, per person-trip formerly served by a household vehicle. KW - Austin (Texas) KW - Costs KW - Intelligent vehicles KW - Pollutants KW - Ridesharing KW - Simulation KW - Travel demand KW - Vehicle miles of travel KW - Vehicle sharing UR - http://swutc.tamu.edu/publications/technicalreports/600451-00081-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1324131 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01538209 AU - Martinez, Sergio E AU - Walton, C Michael AU - University of Texas, Austin AU - Southwest Region University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Cost-Efficiency of Highway Operations and Maintenance of Public-Private Partnerships PY - 2014/08 SP - 73p AB - While the literature on public-private partnerships (PPPs) argues that the private sector’s life-cycle approach to design and construction results in operational cost efficiencies, empirical support is missing. This study explored that issue by conducting a four-prong investigation. First, a literature review searched for evidence of such efficiencies and methodologies to evaluate them: it found no empirical evidence of superior operations and maintenance (O&M) cost-efficiency in PPPs. Second, a simple methodology to evaluate life-cycle cost-efficiency is proposed, but adequate data and assumptions about O&M costs are needed. Third, since PPP projects in the U.S. are recent and currently subject to routine O&M, indicators to compare those costs were proposed as well. Fourth, a case study compared the routine O&M costs of a PPP to those of a system of traditionally delivered toll roads. The results showed that the PPP was more cost-efficient in operating expenditures (OPEX) per mile (-60%) and per lane-mile (-53%). The traditional system was more cost-efficient in OPEX per vehicle miles travelled (97%), toll transactions (332%), and toll revenue (20%). However, those three indicators depend on traffic volumes, which were overwhelmingly greater on the traditional system. While the case study showed cost-efficiency differences between public and private sectors, additional research is needed to empirically test the hypothesis of the private sector’s greater efficiency. Understanding the differences in cost-efficiency between publicly and privately managed roads will help decision-makers to minimize the life-cycle cost of their investments. KW - Case studies KW - Cost effectiveness KW - Expenditures KW - Highway operations KW - Life cycle costing KW - Literature reviews KW - Maintenance management KW - Methodology KW - Public private partnerships KW - Toll roads UR - http://swutc.tamu.edu/publications/technicalreports/600451-00086-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1324132 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01538189 AU - Feys, Dimitri AU - Asghari, Azadeh AU - Ghafari, Ehsan AU - Hernandez, Aida Margarita Ley AU - Van Der Vurst, Farid AU - De Schutter, Geert AU - Center for Transportation Infrastructure and Safety/NUTC program AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Influence of Mixing Procedure on Robustness of Self-Consolidating Concrete PY - 2014/08//Final Report SP - 85p AB - Self-Consolidating Concrete (SCC) is, in the fresh state, more sensitive to small variations in the constituent elements and the mixing procedure compared to Conventional Vibrated Concrete. Several studies have been performed recently to identify robustness of SCC and to develop solutions to increase the robustness of SCC. Ghent University obtained a major research project from the Research Foundation in Flanders (FWO) to investigate fundamentally robustness of SCC and to identify potential solutions in the form of alternative materials to enhance robustness. In the present research project, Missouri University of Science and Technology (Missouri S&T) extended the research at Ghent University by investigating the influence of the mixing procedure on the robustness of SCC. The project was split into four tasks. In a first task, the sequence of adding the constituent elements and mixing was investigated by measuring the rheological properties of cement pastes. In a second task, the combined influence of the most significant mix design and mixing procedure parameters were investigated, with particular attention to the mix design parameters which influence the robustness of the cement paste to a change in time of addition of the superplasticizer. In the third task, the results obtained on cement pastes were validated on concrete scale, with focus on the adding sequence of the aggregates and their initial moisture content. In the fourth task, the robustness of thixotropy and loss of workability was investigated on cement paste and concrete scale. To enhance the application of SCC for the construction and repair of transportation infrastructure, two key concepts are of importance: quality control and consistency. The consistency refers to the mixing operations and transportation of SCC. It is recommended to keep the mixing procedure constant for every SCC produced. This includes the addition sequence of the materials, the mixing time, the mixing speed and the concrete volume (parameter not tested, but it is reflected in mixing energy). The quality control is not only necessary to determine the moisture content of the aggregates, but also for any of the other constituent elements used. KW - Aggregates KW - Cement paste KW - Concrete mixing KW - Mix design KW - Moisture content KW - Rheological properties KW - Self compacting concrete KW - Thixotropy KW - Workability UR - http://transportation.mst.edu/media/research/transportation/documents/R333%20Final%20Report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1322479 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01538155 AU - Brecher, Aviva AU - Arthur, David AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Transit Administration TI - Review and Evaluation of Wireless Power Transfer (WPT) for Electric Transit Applications PY - 2014/08//Final Report SP - 61p AB - This research report provides a status review of emerging and existing Wireless Power Transfer (WPT) technologies applicable to electric bus (EB) and rail transit. The WPT technology options discussed, especially Inductive Power Transfer (IPT), enable rapid in-station or opportunity (boost) dynamic recharging of electric bus batteries for range extension and promise economic, convenience, and safety benefits. Based on a comprehensive literature review, international and U.S. WPT bus and light rail systems deployed, demonstrated, or planned are described, noting their respective providers, system specifications and attributes, and Technology Readiness Level (TRL). Federal Transit Administration (FTA)-funded WPT demonstrations currently underway or planned are also highlighted. Industry technical and safety standards (frequency, power, and interoperability) are currently in development. Regulations and consensus standards for emissions and human exposure safety to electromagnetic radiation and fields (EMR/EMF) and protection from electromagnetic Interference (EMI) are reviewed. Measured EMR/EMR levels for various WPT electric bus systems comply with applicable occupational and public safety, health, and environmental exposure standards. Information on the cost-benefit, reliability, durability, and safety of WPT infrastructure and vehicle systems is scant. Research gaps, as well as challenges and opportunities for WPT commercial deployment, are identified. KW - Electric buses KW - Electric power KW - Electric power transmission KW - Electric vehicle charging KW - Electromagnetism KW - Evaluation KW - Light rail transit KW - Literature reviews KW - Public transit KW - Standards KW - Technological innovations UR - http://www.fta.dot.gov/documents/FTA_Report_No._0060.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/52000/52500/52580/FTA_Report_No._0060.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1322778 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01537855 AU - Bureau of Transportation Statistics TI - Multimodal Transportation Indicators PY - 2014/08 SP - 35p AB - The contents of this report are as follows: SAFETY - Highway Fatalities, Air Fatalities, Rail Fatalities; ECONOMY - Transportation Services Index, Personal Spending on Transportation, Transportation Employment, U.S. Surface Trade with Canada and Mexico; FUEL PRICES - Motor Fuel Prices: Retail Gasoline Prices, Motor Fuel Prices: Retail Diesel Prices, Domestic Airline Jet Fuel Prices, Index of Railroad Fuel Prices; END-USER PRICES - Average Domestic Air Fares, Amtrak Ticket Prices and Yields, Freight Rail Yields; PASSENGER USAGE - U.S. Airline Passengers, U.S. Airline Revenue Passenger-Miles and Load Factor, Amtrak Ridership, Amtrak Revenue Passenger-Miles and Load Factor, Transit Ridership; FREIGHT USAGE - U.S. Air Carrier Cargo Revenue Ton-Miles, Rail Freight Revenue Ton-Miles; SYSTEM PERFORMANCE - U.S. Highway Vehicle-Miles Traveled, U.S. Major Air Carriers On-Time Performance, Amtrak On-Time Performance; CAPITAL EXPENDITURES - National Highway Construction Cost Index, State and Local Government Transportation Construction Value. KW - Air cargo KW - Air transportation KW - Airlines KW - Amtrak KW - Capital expenditures KW - Economic indicators KW - Fatalities KW - Freight trains KW - Fuels KW - Highway transportation KW - On time performance KW - Passenger miles KW - Prices KW - Public transit KW - Railroad transportation KW - Ridership KW - Statistics KW - Ton miles KW - User charges KW - Vehicle miles of travel UR - http://www.rita.dot.gov/bts/sites/rita.dot.gov.bts/files/entire_08_2014.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1323291 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01537727 AU - Sarvestani, Sahra Sedigh AU - Hurson, Ali R AU - Center for Transportation Infrastructure and Safety/NUTC program AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Quantitative Modeling of Failure Propagation in Intelligent Transportation Systems PY - 2014/08//Final Report AB - Unmanned vehicles are projected to reach consumer use within this decade - related legislation has already passed in California. The most significant technical challenge associated with these vehicles is their integration in transportation environments with manned vehicles. Abnormal or incorrect manipulation of the manned vehicles by their human drivers creates a highly non-deterministic environment that is difficult to consider in the control algorithms for unmanned vehicles. The objective of this project was to develop a model that can capture stochastic elements of this environment, in particular failure propagation from manned to unmanned vehicles and vice versa. A general analytical model reflecting the effect of cyber or physical failures on reliability of a large-scale cyber-physical system was developed in the course of project activities. This model was validated through simulation of related applications of an intelligent power grid and water distribution network, respectively. Both examples are topologically and conceptually analogous to an intelligent transportation system. A qualitative model was developed for intelligent transportation systems, and work was commenced on development of a quantitative Petri-net model and cyber-physical simulation environment for such systems. Five refereed conference publications and several presentations resulted from this project. Two related journal publications are under final review and will be submitted in the near future. One MS thesis was completed in conjunction with work related to the project. One undergraduate student, two doctoral students, and two MS students contributed to the research. KW - Algorithms KW - Autonomous vehicle guidance KW - Cyber-Physical System Simulator KW - Failure propagation KW - Intelligent vehicles KW - Mathematical models KW - Petri nets KW - Stochastic processes KW - Trajectory control KW - Unmanned surface vehicle UR - http://transportation.mst.edu/media/research/transportation/documents/R346%20Final%20Report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1323211 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01537440 AU - Elmore, Cecilia AU - Center for Transportation Infrastructure and Safety/NUTC program AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Women in Science & Engineering Scholarships and Summer Camp Outreach Programs: Year 7 PY - 2014/08//Final Report SP - 9p AB - Since the University Transportation Centers (UTC) Scholarship program began in the spring of 2005 and continues today on the Missouri University of Science and Technology campus, numerous female students have benefited tremendously from this source of financial aid. The program began in the first few years with 15-30 awards, and has now progressed to over 130 per year. Approximately 175 scholarship recipients have graduated since the inception of the program, and of those 45% have been employed in transportation-related industries. In addition, the female enrollments in several transportation-related majors have increased greatly since the program’s inception. Examples of these increases include: Civil engineering from 64 to 100, Mechanical engineering from 55 to 96, and Architectural engineering from 35 to 63. The program has established priority awarding guidelines based on a 3.0 cumulative grade point average, and the plans of the recipient to major in a transportation-related field. With these guidelines will also come the reporting of the final outcome - the number of students participating in the program who are finding permanent, summer, or co-op related employment in a transportation-related field. This will be requested of students when they are initially awarded the scholarship, and as they progress with each scholarship renewal. This scholarship program in the past year has been a tremendous help in increasing female enrollment on campus to help set the all-time record of 1,839 total female enrollment for the academic year. The University is also happy to report that these scholarships help with retention and graduation rates for women, as the 1st-2nd year retention rates have been in the 88%-92% range in the years since the scholarships were first given, and the 6-year graduation rates have increased from 67% to 74% in that same time frame. KW - Architecture KW - Civil engineering KW - Education and training KW - Females KW - Financial aid KW - Mechanical engineering KW - Missouri University of Science and Technology KW - Outreach KW - Scholarships KW - Transportation careers UR - http://transportation.mst.edu/media/research/transportation/documents/ETT294%20Final%20Report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1321499 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01537439 AU - Wang, Song AU - Elgawady, Mohamed AU - Shrestha, Pramen P AU - Said, Aly AU - Dhakal, Dinesh AU - Center for Transportation Infrastructure and Safety/NUTC program AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Environmental, Mechanical and Life-Cycle Cost Analysis of Bridge Columns PY - 2014/08//Final Report SP - 75p AB - Corrosion of reinforced concrete (RC) bridge elements is one of the major deterioration distresses in U.S. highway bridges. Fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) composite jackets can be the economic and effective corrosion repair method in the future, though its practices and field installation as a means of corrosion repair are limited due to limited durability studies. However, in many laboratory tests and some field tests, the externally bonded FRP composites have been shown to have corrosion control properties in a chloride laden environment. In this study, concrete encased in FRP jackets and steel-concrete-FRP columns were subjected to severe environmental cycles. The behavior of the conditioned cylinders was tested under axial cyclic loads. Moreover, the FRP composite jackets are considered as a corrosion repair material for corroded RC bridge pier columns and a life-cycle cost analysis procedure is proposed based on the probabilistic model. The use of this probabilistic model needs corrosion parameters, FRP composite durability properties as a statistically distributed random variable input in Monte-Carlo Simulation. The life-cycle cost includes the agency related cost of inspection, maintenance, repair, rehabilitation, cost of failure represented as probability of failure of repaired column, and users cost. KW - Bridge members KW - Bridge piers KW - Corrosion protection KW - Cylinders (Specimens) KW - Durability KW - Fiber reinforced polymers KW - Highway bridges KW - Jacketing (Strengthening) KW - Laboratory tests KW - Life cycle costing KW - Monte Carlo method KW - Probabilistic models KW - Rehabilitation (Maintenance) KW - Repeated loads KW - Simulation UR - http://transportation.mst.edu/media/research/transportation/documents/R337%20Final%20Report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1321486 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01537434 AU - Khayat, Kamal H AU - Libre, Nicolas Ali AU - Center for Transportation Infrastructure and Safety/NUTC program AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Roller Compacted Concrete: Field Evaluation and Mixture Optimization PY - 2014/08//Final Report SP - 118p AB - Roller Compacted Concrete (RCC) as an economical, fast construction and sustainable material has attracted increasing attention for pavement construction. The growth of RCC pavement used in different regions is impeded by concerns regarding its compatibility with domestic materials, environmental conditions and local restrictions. This report addresses the short-term and long-term performance of RCC made with materials locally available in the state of Missouri. The report also provides a comprehensive review on the current practices and recent developments in material selection and aggregate gradation and mixture design methods. The research project involved an extensive sampling and testing carried out to evaluate fresh and mechanical properties as well as shrinkage and key durability characteristics of the RCC used for widening Route 160 near Doniphan. The results of compressive strength, modulus of elasticity, splitting tensile strength, and flexural strength of the concrete mixtures used for the pavement of route 160 are presented and discussed. In-situ compressive strength and relative bond strength were also determined on the cores taken from the pavement. The compressive strengths of the core samples were very close to those of specimens cast at the job site. Both in-situ and laboratory testing confirm that the tested RCC satisfies the mechanical requirements given by Missouri Standard Specifications for Highway Construction. Short-term and long-term performance of the RCC is also evaluated using embedded vibrating wire gage sensors to monitor variations in temperature and deformation in the pavement over time. The measured shrinkage of concrete pavement was found to be significantly lower than the corresponding deformation in RCC specimens tested in standard laboratory condition. RCC mixture is then optimized to enhance its mechanical properties and durability characteristics. Various aggregate types, water to cement ratios, and cementitious materials were investigated in the optimization procedure. The basic concept of mixture proportions was to optimize the solid skeleton of RCC through minimizing the void ratio of the solid particles. The workability and strength criteria were considered in the selection of final optimum RCC mixture. Mechanical properties of RCC were found to be better than or equal to the conventional pavement concrete as the reference material. Obtained data confirms the feasibility of producing RCC with local materials that complies with Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) requirements. Air entrained RCC is also investigated in the research program. The experiments show that the air entrainment is difficult in dry mixtures such as RCC and that the air bubbles are not stable during mixing and compaction of RCC; however, the preliminary study presented and discussed in this report showed that air entrainment can be achieved in the RCC. Adjusting the amount of air content, the stability of air bubbles during the transport and compaction, and uniformity of air-void distribution across the pavement, are among the important issues that should be addressed before using air-entrained RCC in the field applications. The durability results reveals that a little amount of spherical air bubbles entrained in the RCC mixture can have a beneficial influence on the frost resistance durability of concrete. The frost durability tests show that air-entrained RCC performs superior compared to non-air-entrained RCC in frost resistance tests. However, the result indicates that the non-air-entrained RCC can be quite resistant to frost action if the concrete ingredients are well adjusted. KW - Aggregate gradation KW - Air entrained concrete KW - Compressive strength KW - Durability KW - Frost action KW - Local materials KW - Mechanical properties KW - Missouri KW - Mix design KW - Pavement performance KW - Roller compacted concrete UR - http://transportation.mst.edu/media/research/transportation/documents/R363%20Final%20Report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1321487 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01537432 AU - Khayat, Kamal H AU - Sadati, Hamed AU - Center for Transportation Infrastructure and Safety/NUTC program AU - Missouri Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Recycled Concrete Aggregate: Field Implementation at the Stan Musial Veterans Memorial Bridge PY - 2014/08//Final Report SP - 180p AB - The main objective of this research is to evaluate the feasibility of using recycled concrete aggregate (RCA) for concrete production in rigid pavement applications. The experimental program was undertaken to investigate the performance of different concretes made with different amounts of RCA, water-to-cementitious materials ratios (w/cm), and Class C fly ash contents to develop sustainable concrete designated for rigid pavement. The scope of work was implemented to achieve the objectives of the research study which are as follows: Task #1: The purpose of this task is to conduct a literature review of past experience and previous research on RCA as well as the behavior of concrete containing RCA, including the fresh and hardened properties (e.g., workability, compressive strength, flexural strength, shrinkage), and durability (e.g., freeze-thaw resistance, permeability, scaling). Specifically, the literature review focuses on studies that investigated performance of rigid pavement made with partial or full replacement of RCA. Task #2: The purpose of this task is to optimize concrete mixtures incorporating various levels of RCA. Various amounts of coarse and fine RCA were used as replacements of virgin aggregate. Alternative mixing procedures are used to develop concrete with RCA. Task #3: The performance of the optimized concrete mixtures is evaluated in terms of: fresh properties: slump, air content, and bleeding; mechanical properties: compressive strength, splitting tensile strength, flexural strength, modulus of elasticity, and shrinkage; as well as durability: permeable void volume, absorption, surface electrical resistivity, bulk electrical resistivity, freeze/thaw durability, and de-icing salt scaling. Task #4: The proven RCA-made concrete mixtures are then employed into the construction of pavement sections of the approach towards the Stan Musial Veterans Memorial Bridge in St. Louis, Missouri. Fresh properties of the concrete mixtures are investigated at the job site. In addition, samples are taken to further evaluate mechanical properties and durability of the employed mixtures. Field instrumentation is carried out to monitor the long-term deformation characteristics of the pavement sections. Detailed information about the field implementation is presented in Chapter 5 of this report. Pavement structure is described in detail in Chapter 6. Task #5: Truck load testing is carried out to evaluate the in-situ performance of the pavement sections. Various loading scenarios are considered to monitor the deformation characteristics of the instrumented sections under controlled traffic loading. KW - Bridge approaches KW - Durability KW - Fly ash KW - Literature reviews KW - Load tests KW - Mechanical properties KW - Mix design KW - Pavement performance KW - Properties of materials KW - Recycled concrete aggregate KW - Recycled materials KW - Rigid pavements KW - Saint Louis (Missouri) KW - Water cement ratio UR - http://transportation.mst.edu/media/research/transportation/documents/R332%20Final%20Report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1321479 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01537430 AU - Bate, Bate AU - Center for Transportation Infrastructure and Safety/NUTC program AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Adding Faculty in Transportation Areas: Research Progress on Geomaterials and Non-Destructive Sensor Technology PY - 2014/08//Final Report SP - 9p AB - This funding was provided to help departments build up their faculty in the transportation field over the next years. Broad areas will be considered as listed in the University Transportation Centers (UTC) mission or other areas that relate to State Departments of Transportation and the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) in particular as stated in their goals, interests, and objectives. Dr. Bate was supported by NUTC Faculty Support Funds from 2011 to 2014. During this period, he continued his research from his Ph.D. study and extended into several new directions, including bender element S-wave sensor development, high volume reuse of fly ash in geotechnical engineering, and curing process monitoring of self-consolidating concrete, and made significant progress. Five journal papers and five conference papers were published. As a final report, the abstract of the publications are attached. KW - Bender elements KW - Fly ash KW - Geomaterials KW - Geotechnical engineering KW - Missouri University of Science and Technology KW - Personnel KW - Research KW - Self compacting concrete KW - Sensors KW - University faculty UR - http://transportation.mst.edu/media/research/transportation/documents/R318%20Final%20Report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1321491 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01537429 AU - Elgawady, Mohamed AU - Gheni, Ahmed AU - Center for Transportation Infrastructure and Safety/NUTC program AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Strength of Unbonded Post-Tensioned Walls PY - 2014/08//Final Report SP - 51p AB - Post-tensioned masonry wall (PT-MW) is an ideal candidate for accelerating the construction of sound barriers in highways. PT-MWs have been in use for a while in buildings; however, there has been no rigorous single-study in the U.S. about in-plane strength of PT-MWs built out of concrete masonry units. This resulted in some contradictions between International Building Code (IBC 2010) and Masonry Standard Joint Committee (MSJC 2011). MSJC (2011) defines three types of PT-MWs: ordinary plain, intermediate, and special. However, the IBC (2010) combines the different types of PT-MWs into one type similar to that of unreinforced masonry (URM) walls. This represents a significant contradiction. Specially designed PT-MW would be designed according to MSJC (2011) for a seismic lateral force equal to one-third the required seismic force according to IBC (2010). Moreover, according to MSJC (2011), both intermediate and special walls have identical prescriptive bonded mild steel reinforcement and post-tensioning bars which is similar to that of specially reinforced masonry walls while the IBC (2010) does not have similar recommendations. Finally, ordinary post-tensioned walls do not have maximum spacing between tendons in both MSJC and IBC. Hence, there is a crucial gap in the current knowledge which requires an immediate investigation. This project investigates the in-plane behavior of full-scale unbonded post-tensioned walls. All walls have the same total post-tensioning force and identical dimensions of 104 in. long, 96 in. high, and 8 in. wide. Spacings between tendons ranging from 24 in. to 96 in. were investigated. The walls were subjected to in-plane shear loads of increasing amplitude. Both flexural strength and shear strength were evaluated and compared to the strengths given by MSJC (2011). KW - Earthquake resistant design KW - Flexural strength KW - International Building Code KW - Masonry construction KW - Masonry Standards Joint Committee KW - Noise barriers KW - Posttensioning KW - Shear strength KW - Spacing KW - Tendons (Materials) KW - Walls UR - http://transportation.mst.edu/media/research/transportation/documents/R349%20Final%20Report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1321482 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01537426 AU - Khayat, Kamal H AU - Valipour, Mahdi AU - Center for Transportation Infrastructure and Safety/NUTC program AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Design of Ultra High Performance Concrete as an Overlay in Pavements and Bridge Decks PY - 2014/08//Final Report SP - 127p AB - The main objective of this research was to develop ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) as a reliable, economic, low carbon footprint and durable concrete overlay material that can offer shorter traffic closures due to faster construction. The UHPC was optimized using supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs), proper combinations of aggregates, and adequate selection of fiber types and contents. Three types of SCMs, including silica fume, Class C and F fly ash, and ground granulated blast-furnace slag (GGBS) were used to optimize cement paste with high packing density. The optimized pastes were then used to produce UHPC materials with various contents of fine aggregates and fibers to prove the feasibility of using the UHPC for bonded overlay. The optimized materials were evaluated for workability, rheology, mechanical properties, and shrinkage, as well as their performance which was compared to the reference UHPC. In addition, the robustness of the optimized UHPC mixtures to variations of the mixing and curing temperatures was also examined. Bond behavior and the effect of overlay thickness of the developed UHPC materials were also investigated in this study. The experimental study reported herein proved that the optimized UHPC mixtures can develop comparable performance to the commercially available UHPC proportioned with 100% silica sand and 25% silica fume replacement, which was used as the reference UHPC. Given the mix design of the reference UHPC, the UHPC mixtures developed in this study could be more environmental friendly and cost-effective overlay materials compared to the reference UHPC. It is important to note that the optimized UHPC materials can develop adequate mechanical properties without any accelerated curing or special treatment, which contributes to a reduction of overall construction cost of the overlay. The developed UHPC mixtures had equal to or lower drying shrinkage than the reference UHPC. The bond strength between the substrate concrete and the UHPC overlay was shown to be greater than that of the substrate concrete, and the use of the UHPC overlay led to significant increase in flexural strength and toughness over the monolithic beam cast with conventional concrete, regardless of the overlay thickness. These results indicate the feasibility of using the UHPC as a bonded overlay. KW - Bond strength (Materials) KW - Concrete overlays KW - Fiber reinforced concrete KW - Flexural strength KW - Fly ash KW - Granulated slag KW - Mechanical properties KW - Mix design KW - Overlays (Pavements) KW - Rapid construction KW - Shrinkage KW - Silica fume KW - Thickness KW - Toughness KW - Ultra high performance concrete UR - http://transportation.mst.edu/media/research/transportation/documents/R321%20Final%20Report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1322146 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01537425 AU - Richardson, David AU - Anderson, Neil AU - Bowders, John AU - Boeckmann, Andrew AU - Luna, Ronaldo AU - Lusher, Michael AU - Rosenblad, Brent AU - Sneed, Lesley AU - Center for Transportation Infrastructure and Safety/NUTC program AU - Missouri Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - MoDOT Pavement Preservation Research Program PY - 2014/08//Final Report SP - 227p AB - The following report documents a research project on pavement preservation performed by the Missouri University of Science and Technology (Missouri S&T) and the University of Missouri-Columbia (UMC) on behalf of the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT). The report consists of a Summary Report followed by six detailed technical reports. To achieve the goal of reducing maintenance costs and improving minor road ratings, MoDOT has embarked upon a plan of formalizing its maintenance/preservation planning. To assist in developing the plan, MoDOT contracted with the Missouri S&T and UMC to conduct a research project, entitled “MoDOT Pavement Preservation Research Program”. The product of this research would become a part of MoDOT’s overall Pavement Management System. The overall objective of the research was to provide a process that would allow MoDOT to do more selective planning, better engineering and more effective maintenance to minimize costs while maintaining adequate safety and performance of Missouri’s pavements. Six Guidance Documents were to ultimately be created which would act as guidelines for MoDOT’s Pavement Specialists and Engineers. The work was divided into six Tasks, each with its own research team. KW - Costs KW - Guidelines KW - Maintenance management KW - Minimization KW - Missouri KW - Missouri Department of Transportation KW - Pavement maintenance KW - Pavement management systems KW - Pavement preservation UR - http://library.modot.mo.gov/RDT/reports/TRyy1141/cmr16-004v1.pdf UR - http://library.modot.mo.gov/RDT/reports/TRyy1141/cmr16-004v2.pdf UR - http://library.modot.mo.gov/RDT/reports/TRyy1141/cmr16-004v3.pdf UR - http://library.modot.mo.gov/RDT/reports/TRyy1141/cmr16-004v4.pdf UR - http://library.modot.mo.gov/RDT/reports/TRyy1141/cmr16-004v5.pdf UR - http://library.modot.mo.gov/RDT/reports/TRyy1141/cmr16-004v5b.pdf UR - http://library.modot.mo.gov/RDT/reports/TRyy1141/cmr16-004v6.pdf UR - http://library.modot.mo.gov/RDT/reports/TRyy1141/cmr16-004v7.pdf UR - http://transportation.mst.edu/media/research/transportation/documents/R300%20Final%20Report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1321496 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01537413 AU - Khayat, Kamal H AU - Mehdipour, Iman AU - Center for Transportation Infrastructure and Safety/NUTC program AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Design and Performance of Crack-Free Environmentally Friendly Concrete “Crack-Free Eco-Crete” PY - 2014/08//Final Report SP - 145p AB - High-performance concrete (HPC) is characterized by high content of cement and supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs). Using high binder content, low water-to-cementitious material ratio (w/cm), and various chemical admixtures in the HPC can result in higher material cost and greater risk of thermal and shrinkage cracking, thus reducing service life of the structure. This project seeks to investigate the feasibility of producing crack-free and environmentally friendly concrete (crack-free and Eco-Crete) for building and transportation infrastructure applications. Two types of concrete materials, including Eco-super workable concrete (Eco-SWC) and Eco-self-consolidating concrete (Eco-SCC) are of special interest in this project. Eco-Crete mixtures are developed with a binder content lower than 315 kg/m³ (530 lb/yd³). The concrete should develop 56-day compressive strength greater than 30 MPa (>4350 psi). Given the low binder content compared to the targeted performance level, binder composition and aggregate proportion are optimized based on the packing density to reduce the voids between particles. The optimized concretes exhibit low shrinkage given the low paste content and use of shrinkage mitigation approach, such as the use of a shrinkage reducing admixture (SRA), a Type G or K expansive agent (EX), and a lightweight sand (LWS), as well as using fibers to reduce cracking. A factorial design approach was also employed to quantify the effect of such materials on mechanical and shrinkage properties. The results indicate that, the combined use of 10% silica fume with either 40% fly ash or 40% slag exhibited the highest packing density of 0.66 compared to 0.52 for cement paste. The modified Andreasen packing model with distribution modulus (q) of about 0.29 fits reasonable well to express the particle size distribution (PSD) of aggregate for SCC with low binder content. Binary shrinkage reducing materials containing 7.5% Type G EX and 20% LWS or ternary system including 12.5% Type K EX, 2% SRA, and 20% LWS can be quite effective for developing Eco-Crete mixtures to exhibit crack-free properties. KW - Binder content KW - Compressive strength KW - Concrete KW - Crack-free KW - Environmental impacts KW - Fly ash KW - Mix design KW - Particle size distribution KW - Self compacting concrete KW - Shrinkage reducing admixtures KW - Silica fume KW - Slag UR - http://transportation.mst.edu/media/research/transportation/documents/R322%20Final%20Report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1321484 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01537411 AU - ElGawady, Mohamed AU - Said, Aly AU - Shrestha, Pramen AU - Nkuako, Kojo AU - Center for Transportation Infrastructure and Safety/NUTC program AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Cyclic Behavior of Self-Consolidated Concrete PY - 2014/08//Final Report SP - 87p AB - This report highlights the production of self-consolidating concrete (SCC) using local materials from Las Vegas, Nevada. Four SCC mixtures were worked on with 2 different levels of fly ash (FA) replacement and the inclusion of superplasticizers, ADVA 195 and V-MAR 3. The fresh properties tested of these mixtures are the flowability, passing ability and the stability. The mechanical properties were also ascertained and these comprised the compressive strength, splitting tensile strength and the modulus of elasticity. The durability of the specimens produced from the mixtures was tested against chloride ion resistance, sulfate resistance and salt scaling. The effect of the concrete constituents on the results obtained from fresh and hardened properties is also discussed. Moreover, this report investigates the difference in the behavior of SCC and conventional concrete encased in fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) tubes. The effect of fiber orientation on both strength and ductility of FRP confined concrete is discussed. Axial compression tests were performed under monotonic and cyclic conditions to determine the stress strain relationship of a SCC filled fiber tube with ±45° fibers. The test results obtained from the compression tests are presented and examined. KW - Compression tests KW - Compressive strength KW - Concrete flowability KW - Confined concrete KW - Durability KW - Fiber reinforced polymers KW - Fly ash KW - Las Vegas (Nevada) KW - Local materials KW - Modulus of elasticity KW - Self compacting concrete KW - Superplasticizers KW - Tensile strength UR - http://transportation.mst.edu/media/research/transportation/documents/R326%20Final%20Report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1321483 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01537408 AU - Khayat, Kamal H AU - Meng, Weina AU - Center for Transportation Infrastructure and Safety/NUTC program AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Design and Performance of Stay-In-Place UHPC Prefabricated Panels for Infrastructure Construction PY - 2014/08//Final Report SP - 167p AB - This project aims at designing a stay-in-place formwork system for cast-in-place bridge applications using ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) that can be used in the permanent formwork construction. Such panels can be used as a permanent formwork system that can exhibit extended service life given the high impermeability and resistance of the cover-crete to cracking, increase the cost effectiveness, and decrease the deleterious materials in concrete, including chloride ions. The stay-in-place formwork can be used for new construction as well as in the rehabilitation of concrete infrastructure, including bridges. It is anticipated that this design concept will lead to substantial savings and reduced energy costs associated with the production, handling, and whole life performance of the cast concrete elements. The key characteristics and benefits of the proposed product are: (1) the units will be more durable and much lighter than current products (less than 25 kg per unit), light enough that one person can carry a single unit; (2) faster construction due to simplicity of use; (3) reduction in the volume of transport; (4) the units will be “lego-like”, in that they can easily be linked together in modular forms; (5) smooth surface finish that reduces the need for further surface work (that is, additional finishing); (6) environmentally advantageous structures - reduced carbon emissions compared to conventional on-site casting methods; and (7) versatility regarding application, usage is not restricted to bridge columns but other elements, such as conventional wall structures. The pre-fabricated panels were made of UHPC reinforced with fibers, such as micro steel fibers or micro polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) fibers, and glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP) grids or carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) grids which can provide bi-directional reinforcement. KW - Bridge design KW - Cast in place concrete KW - Cast in place structures KW - Cost effectiveness KW - Durability KW - Fiber reinforced polymers KW - Greenhouse gases KW - Panels KW - Prefabricated bridges KW - Rapid construction KW - Service life KW - Stay-in-place forms KW - Ultra high performance concrete UR - http://transportation.mst.edu/media/research/transportation/documents/R320%20Final%20Report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1321485 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01537407 AU - Elgawady, Mohamed AU - Abdelkarim, Omar I AU - Center for Transportation Infrastructure and Safety/NUTC program AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Behavior of Hollow-Core FRP-Concrete-Steel Columns Subjected to Cyclic Axial Compression PY - 2014/08//Final Report SP - 22p AB - This report presents the results of an experimental study that was conducted to investigate the effects of key parameters on the compressive behavior of fiber reinforced polymer (FRP)-concrete-steel double-skin tubular (FSDT) columns. Hybrid FSDT columns have been introduced as a new form of hybrid columns. They consist of an outer tube made of FRP and inner tube made of steel, with sandwiched concrete between them. This report investigated the effect of fiber angle and the ratio of steel tube diameter to its thickness (D/t) on the compressive behavior of FSDT columns. Ten FSDT cylinders with different D/t in addition to three concrete filled-fiber tube (CFFT) cylinders were manufactured and tested under axial cyclic compression. The results of the experimental study indicate that the overall behavior of FSDT and CFFT cylinders is similar and the main difference is in the capacity load. The cylinders with high D/t ratio achieve lower capacity than the normal capacity due to the local buckling of the steel tubes. Using the saturated fiber tube increases the axial ductility but does not give high confinement. These results are presented together with a discussion on the influence of the studied parameters on the compressive behavior of FSDT columns. KW - Bearing capacity KW - Columns KW - Compressive strength KW - Concrete KW - Diameter KW - Fiber reinforced polymers KW - Laboratory tests KW - Steel KW - Thickness KW - Tubular structures UR - http://transportation.mst.edu/media/research/transportation/documents/R357%20Final%20Report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1321480 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01536627 AU - Bullough, John D AU - Skinner, Nicholas P AU - Snyder, Jeremy D AU - Besenecker, Ute C AU - Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute AU - New York State Department of Transportation AU - University Transportation Research Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Nighttime Highway Construction Illumination PY - 2014/08//Final Report SP - 88p AB - The nighttime driving environment, consisting of roadway illumination, signs, vehicle lighting and markers, delineators and flashing lights, can be complex or even confusing for both pedestrians and drivers. The nighttime construction environment is even more complex and even chaotic because of the added presence of workers, construction equipment and bright lights (which are sometimes flashing). Work zones at night often involve changing conditions and new traffic patterns that are unfamiliar to drivers. Workers in highway construction areas and drivers navigating through these areas have distinct visual requirements that must be met both through lighting and other forms of visual information provided in the work zone. Conventional methods for illuminating work zones are prone to producing glare for workers and for drivers. At the same time, new technologies for lighting and traffic control, such as balloon lights, light emitting diodes (LEDs), highly reflective retroreflective sheeting and intelligent warning lights are being developed that could address many of the concerns associated with nighttime highway construction. As part of a multi-phase project, requirements for worker and driver visibility and visual information were identified through human factors research, and various technologies and new approaches to work zone lighting and traffic control were demonstrated and evaluated to provide preliminary guidance for when they might be of benefit. A checklist of planning and design issues, and a method for estimating visual performance under nighttime work zone lighting are provided to help transportation engineers and highway contractors identify promising solutions for work zone lighting. KW - Human factors KW - Lighting KW - Night KW - Night visibility KW - Road construction KW - Technological innovations KW - Work zone traffic control UR - http://www.utrc2.org/sites/default/files/pubs/Final-Highway-Construction-Illumination_0.pdf UR - https://www.dot.ny.gov/divisions/engineering/technical-services/trans-r-and-d-repository/C-08-14-FinalReport.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1321367 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01536612 AU - Myers, John J AU - Hernandez, Eli S AU - Griffin, Alexander AU - Alghazali, Hayder AU - Center for Transportation Infrastructure and Safety/NUTC program AU - Missouri Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - High-Strength Self-Consolidating Concrete (SCC) and High-Volume Fly Ash Concrete (HVFAC) for Infrastructure Elements: Implementation PY - 2014/08//Final Report SP - 272p AB - Because of its unique nature, high-strength self-consolidating concrete (HS-SCC) has the potential to significantly reduce costs associated with transportation-related infrastructure, benefiting both Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) and the residents of Missouri. HS-SCC is a highly flowable, nonsegregating concrete that can be placed without any mechanical consolidation, and thus has the following advantages over conventional concrete: decreased labor and equipment costs during concrete placement, decreased potential for and costs to repair honeycombing and voids, increased production rates of precast and cast-in-place (CIP) elements, and improved finish and appearance of cast and free concrete surfaces. In addition to SCC, innovative materials, such as high volume fly ash concrete (HVFAC), also provide a significant potential to produce more cost effective mix designs for CIP concrete. Since the 1930’s, fly ash – a pozzolanic material – has been used as a partial replacement of portland cement in concrete to improve the material’s strength and durability, while also limiting the amount of early heat generation. From an environmental perspective, replacing cement with fly ash reduces the concrete’s overall carbon footprint and diverts an industrial by-product from the solid waste stream (currently, about 40 percent of fly ash is reclaimed for beneficial reuse and 60 percent is disposed of in landfills). The objective of this research is to provide an implementation test bed and showcase for the use of sustainable and extended service life concrete. In this implementation study for Missouri Bridge A7957, a level of 50% fly ash to cement proportions was utilized as well as normal strength self-consolidating concrete (NS-SCC) and HS-SCC in the load carrying elements to showcase the use of these innovative materials. KW - Bridge construction KW - Cast in place concrete KW - Durability KW - Fly ash KW - High volume fly ash concrete KW - Implementation KW - Missouri KW - Mix design KW - Self compacting concrete UR - http://transportation.mst.edu/media/research/transportation/documents/R315%20Final%20Report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1320973 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01536306 AU - Sneed, Lesley AU - Anderson, Neil AU - Center for Transportation Infrastructure and Safety/NUTC program AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Air-Launched GPR Evaluation for Rapid Assessment of MoDOT Bridge Decks PY - 2014/08//Final Report SP - 30p AB - The overarching goal of this study is to demonstrate that advanced nondestructive testing/evaluation (NDT/NDE) techniques can be rapidly, effectively, and economically implemented as part of routine Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) bridge deck surveys to determine the general condition of bridge decks. This study extends the work of a separate study (Nondestructive Evaluation of MoDOT Bridge Decks - Pilot Study, MoDOT Award TRyy1308) focused on NDT/NDE techniques for comprehensive bridge deck assessment. It is envisioned that the condition assessment conducted in the present study will be utilized as reconnaissance to identify and rank those bridges requiring a more detailed investigation, which will enable MoDOT to optimize the use of resources and reduce the cost of bridge deck evaluation. Results of this study will be used to evaluate the feasibility of a large scale, long-term program (multi-year, routine basis) that incorporates NDE techniques into MoDOT bridge deck surveys for the purpose of reducing cost on assessment and maintenance of bridge decks. KW - Bridge decks KW - Condition surveys KW - Cost effectiveness KW - Ground penetrating radar KW - Maintenance KW - Missouri KW - Nondestructive tests KW - Optimization UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1319634 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01535936 AU - Reich, Stephen L AU - Kolpakov, Alexander AU - National Center for Transit Research AU - Florida Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Investigation, Quantification, and Recommendations – Performance of Alternatively Fueled Buses PY - 2014/08//Final Report SP - 32p AB - The goal of this project was to continue consistent collection and reporting of data on the performance and costs of alternatively fueled public transit vehicles in the U.S. transit fleet in order to keep the Bus Fuels Fleet Evaluation Tool (BuFFeT; © University of South Florida) cost model current. Researchers attempted to collect data from fixed route agencies inside and outside of Florida. While enough data was collected to represent the majority of Florida’s fixed route fleet, no data could be obtained from non-Florida transit agencies. Researchers also requested data for both fixed route and paratransit vehicles. However, due to the low response rate and reporting inconsistency for demand response vehicles, the extent and reliability of the paratransit fleet analysis was limited and should be interpreted with caution. Separately from the data collection and analysis, project goals also included activities related to the preparation of a National Alternative Fuel Bus Clearinghouse. Researchers coordinated with APTA leadership and industry stakeholders to establish and maintain the clearinghouse, and implemented a website for information dissemination about alternative fuel transit technologies. KW - Alternate fuels KW - Buses by motive power KW - Data collection KW - Operating costs KW - Performance measurement KW - Public transit KW - Vehicle fleets UR - http://www.fdot.gov/research/Completed_Proj/Summary_PTO/FDOT-BDV26-977-01-rpt.pdf UR - http://www.nctr.usf.edu/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/77956.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1319871 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01535121 AU - Washer, Glenn AU - Schmidt, Justin AU - Center for Transportation Infrastructure and Safety/NUTC program AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Quality Control and In-Service Inspection Technology for Hybrid-Composite Girder Bridges PY - 2014/08//Final Report SP - 49p AB - This report describes efforts to develop quality control tools and in-service inspection technologies for the fabrication and construction of Hybrid Composite Beams (HCBs). HCBs are a new bridge technology currently being evaluated by the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT). The report includes analysis of the anticipated damage modes for the HCB members and suitable nondestructive evaluation (NDE) technologies that could be utilized for condition assessment. Infrared thermography (IR) was found to be the most applicable NDE technology for use in quality control/quality assurance (QC/QA) testing to ensure uniform placement of the concrete within the arch, which is critical to ensuring the quality of construction, durability, and capacity of the HCBs. Since this arch is enclosed within a fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) shell, internal voids or honeycombs that may occur during concrete placement are unavailable for visual inspection. It was found that the thermal signature of this arch, which results from the heat of hydration produced during the curing of the concrete, could be imaged on the surface of the composite shell. A procedure for utilizing IR technology to ensure the quality of the concrete placement in the arch was developed, tested and verified through field testing of each of the three HCB bridges constructed over the course of the project. This technology is also suitable for the detection of delamination in the composite shell. Recommendations developed from the research include: implementing thermal imaging technology as a QC/QA tool, utilizing visual inspection for the assessment of the composite shell in-service, and pursuing the application of Magnetic Flux Leakage (MFL) to assess corrosion damage in the strands. MFL technology is currently experimental in nature, and not readily available as a commercial tool. Development of this tool should be tracked in anticipation of future implementation. KW - Bridge construction KW - Bridge design KW - Girder bridges KW - Hybrid composite beams KW - Infrared thermography KW - Inspection KW - Magnetic flux leakage KW - Missouri KW - Missouri Department of Transportation KW - Nondestructive tests KW - Quality assurance KW - Quality control KW - Thermal imagery UR - http://transportation.mst.edu/media/research/transportation/documents/R282%20Final%20Report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1320889 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01535120 AU - Morcous, George AU - Khayat, Kamal H AU - Center for Transportation Infrastructure and Safety/NUTC program AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Design and Performance of Self-Consolidating Concrete for Connecting Precast Concrete Deck Panels and Bridge I-Girders PY - 2014/08//Final Report SP - 130p AB - Existing full-depth precast concrete deck systems use either open channels or pockets to accommodate the shear connectors of supporting girders for achieving composite systems. The use of open channels or pockets requires cast-in-place concrete/grout to fill these channels/pockets and deck overlay to cover the exposed surface. These operations negatively affect the quality of precast concrete decks and their speed of construction, which are the expected benefits of using precast concrete deck systems. Recent developments in full-depth precast concrete deck systems include using covered individual pockets at large spacing to simplify construction and eliminate the need for deck overlays to cover exposed surfaces. This requires flowable concrete/gout to completely fill deck pockets and gaps between the precast concrete deck panels and bridge girders (i.e. haunches). The high cost of commercial grouts and their strict requirements of surface preparation and application procedures reduce the constructability and cost effectiveness of precast concrete deck systems. The objective of this project is to investigate the constructability of using self-consolidating concrete (SCC) to fill the gap between precast concrete deck panels and bridge girders as well as covered deck pockets. This includes developing SCC mixture(s) with specific requirements in terms of flowability, passing ability, stability, workability retention, and pumpability and evaluating the performance of these novel construction materials in small–scale and full-scale specimens. Sequence of pouring/pumping SCC as well as its quality control and quality assurance procedures are also determined. This experimental investigation is crucial for the success of the new generation of full-depth precast concrete deck systems and improving its competitiveness against cast-in-place deck systems. KW - Bridge decks KW - Bridge design KW - Concrete flowability KW - Constructability KW - Girders KW - Grouting KW - Haunches (Bridge decks) KW - Precast concrete KW - Quality assurance KW - Quality control KW - Self compacting concrete KW - Structural connection UR - http://transportation.mst.edu/media/research/transportation/documents/R328%20Final%20Report%20-%20reduced.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1320887 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01535118 AU - Myers, John J AU - Aboelseoud, Mohamed A AU - Earley, C Renee AU - Washer, Glenn AU - Schmidt, Justin AU - Center for Transportation Infrastructure and Safety/NUTC program AU - Missouri Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Field Evaluation of Hybrid-Composite Girder Bridges in Missouri PY - 2014/08//Final Report SP - 157p AB - Three hybrid composite beam (HCB) bridges were recently constructed in Missouri, USA. HCB is an innovative idea that incorporates traditional construction materials (steel and concrete) with fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) composites in such a manner to optimize the performance of the beam constituents. The HCB consists of self-consolidating concrete (SCC) poured in classical arch shape and tied at the ends by conventional prestressing strands. The concrete and steel are tucked inside durable fiberglass shell and the voids are filled with polyiso foam. An integrated study was implemented on the three bridges to investigate the HCB in-service behavior. The study included quality control/quality assurance (QC/QA) testing program. As a part of this research study, an innovative infrared (IR) thermal imaging approach was developed to detect the voids in the concrete arch section during its casting. The approach is found to be an ideal solution for QC/QA of the concrete arch concrete placement. A series of load tests on the bridges together with meticulous theoretical and numerical analyses were executed. The first finite element analysis (FEA) for a HCB bridge superstructure was accomplished. The analysis was used to provide better understanding for the girder behavior and to emphasize the areas that need more examination. Based on the FEA results the existing flexural design methodology and assumptions were tested. The methodology was found unable to detect the maximum compressive stress in the concrete arch, and the strain compatibility assumption was found invalid. However, the experimental measurements along with the mathematical calculations indicate that the HCB owns abundant nominal bending and shear strength to withstand the expected loads during its lifetime. A modified methodology that is based on the same assumptions as the existing one was produced. The methodology was found to achieve significant enhancement in predicting the stresses under the service loads. The durability of the HCB was tested through subjecting the composite shell to different aging regimes. The testing results indicate that the HCB possesses excellent durability in relation to the expected weathering exposure in Missouri. Longer exposure regimes are currently being examined to verify these results. KW - Air voids KW - Bridge superstructures KW - Composite bridges KW - Durability KW - Fiber reinforced polymers KW - Field studies KW - Finite element method KW - Girder bridges KW - Hybrid composite beams KW - Infrared imaging KW - Load tests KW - Missouri KW - Quality assurance KW - Quality control KW - Self compacting concrete KW - Shear strength KW - Stresses UR - http://library.modot.mo.gov/RDT/reports/TRyy1124/cmr15-002.pdf UR - http://transportation.mst.edu/media/research/transportation/documents/R281%20Final%20Report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1320886 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01535116 AU - Elgawady, Mohamed AU - Center for Transportation Infrastructure and Safety/NUTC program AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Acquisition of Uniaxial Shaking Table for Dynamic Testing of Structural Elements PY - 2014/08//Final Report SP - 7p AB - This project aims at the acquisition of a uniaxial shaking table for the dynamic testing of structural elements. The new shaking table has a 5 x 5 platform, +/- 6 in. stroke, and 10 ton payload. Several on-going projects will benefit from using the new shaking table. These projects were planned to be carried out using static cyclic testing. However, static cyclic testing does not necessarily reflect the true behavior of a structural element under earthquake ground motion. Static cyclic testing has several limitations including determination of damping characteristics and strain rate effects. Both of them are essential characteristics to investigate the dynamic behavior of structural elements. The on-going projects that will benefit from the new shaking table focus on the development of several types of innovative and sustainable structural elements that can sustain damage due to earthquake ground motions as well as accelerate bridge systems. Moreover, the tested elements will be monitored using innovative sensors. KW - Bridge members KW - Damping (Physics) KW - Dynamic tests KW - Earthquake resistant design KW - Sensors KW - Shaking table tests KW - Strain rate effects KW - Technological innovations KW - Uniaxial stress UR - http://transportation.mst.edu/media/research/transportation/documents/RE368%20Final%20Report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1320890 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01535114 AU - Zhu, Jianfeng AU - Bate, Bate AU - Center for Transportation Infrastructure and Safety/NUTC program AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Using Shear Wave Velocity to Monitor the Curing Process of Self-Consolidating Concrete by Bender Element PY - 2014/08//Final Report SP - 34p AB - The evaluation of the curing process of a fresh concrete is critical to its construction process and monitoring. Traditionally stress sensor and compressive wave sensor were often used to measure concrete properties. Bender element (BE) test, a nondestructive test measuring shear wave velocity (Vs) was widely used in geotechnical engineering. Maximum shear modulus is the ratio of shear stress to shear strain. It is used in determination of elastic settlement and stiffness. The use of bender elements to detect stiffness change through shear wave velocity is a nondestructive test. BE test was used to monitor the curing process of fresh self-consolidating concrete in this study. KW - Bender element test KW - Concrete curing KW - Monitoring KW - Nondestructive tests KW - Self compacting concrete KW - Shear wave velocity UR - http://transportation.mst.edu/media/research/transportation/documents/R339%20Final%20Report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1320888 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01551443 AU - Tuan, Christopher Y AU - Albers, Tregan AU - University of Nebraska, Lincoln AU - Mid-America Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Development of Shaker Test as a Standardized Test Protocol for Deicing Chemicals Evaluation PY - 2014/07/31/Final Report SP - 65p AB - During a research project previously funded by the Mid-America Transportation Center (MATC), a simple and economical test using a martini shaker for ice melting capacity evaluation showed potential in becoming a standardized test. The development of the shaker test was prompted by the inconsistent results from the Strategic Highway Research Program (SHRP) ice melting capacity tests. Further, there is a general interest within the winter maintenance community (e.g., Clear Roads and Transportation Research Board (TRB) Committee AHD65) to further develop the shaker test into a deicing chemicals test protocol. This research focused on the use of a mechanical rocker for shaking instead of manually shaking, which can introduce significant error. The main objective of this research was to transform The Mechanical Rocker Test into a standardized testing procedure for an ice melting capacity evaluation of liquid deicing chemicals. A number of testing parameters need to be precisely specified to ensure repeatability and consistency in the test results. In this test, 33 ice cubes of 1.3-mL each and 30-mL of liquid deicing chemical were mixed in a vacuum sealed thermos on a mechanical rocking platform. The rocker was set to a frequency of 90 Revolutions Per Minute (RPM) with a tilt angle of ±10°. The time duration for rocking was set for 15 minutes. A Styrofoam dish or cup was used for measuring the mass of the ice. With these test parameters, a standard deviation of 1.15% has been achieved when testing with MeltDown Apex™. The Rocker Tests can be used to develop guidelines for efficient winter roadways maintenance operations involving the use of deicing chemicals. Guidelines for best practices under various weather and roadway conditions will improve snow removal operations and provide an adequate level of service and safety to the general public on the U.S. surface transportation system. This test procedure will be submitted to selected Departments of Transportation and Clear Roads for parallel testing and feedback. KW - Deicing chemicals KW - Evaluation KW - Melting KW - Test procedures KW - Testing equipment KW - Winter maintenance UR - http://matc.unl.edu/assets/documents/matcfinal/Tuan_DevelopmentofShakerTestasaStandardizedTestProtocolforDeicingChemicalsEvaluation.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1340554 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01531517 AU - Franz, Mark L AU - Chang, Gang-Len AU - Mid-Atlantic Universities Transportation Center AU - University of Maryland, College Park AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Applications of Variable Speed Control for Contending with Recurrent Highway Congestion PY - 2014/07/21/Final Report SP - 94p AB - This research project developed vital operational guidelines for design of a variable speed limit (VSL) system and its integrated operations with ramp metering control in contending with recurrent highway congestion. The developed guidelines can serve as an effective tool for traffic engineers to determine when to activate a VSL control and under what traffic conditions it needs to be supplemented by ramp metering operations to ensure the stability of traffic evolution over the congested highway segment. This report also presents various measures of effectiveness for evaluating the benefits of VSL and its integration with ramp metering control. A VSL control algorithm to compute the time-varying speeds in real time, based on detected traffic conditions, was developed in this study. Extensive simulation experiments, calibrated with the field data from US100 in Maryland, were conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of the developed VSL algorithm. Both the experimental results and sensitivity analyses with respect to key model parameters confirmed that proper implementation of VSL can indeed mitigate the congestion caused by the high-speed variance among vehicles and allow traffic flows to better utilize the available roadway capacity. KW - Algorithms KW - Congestion management systems KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Implementation KW - Maryland KW - Ramp metering KW - Traffic simulation KW - Variable speed limits UR - http://www.mautc.psu.edu/docs/UMD-2012-03.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1316809 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01577839 TI - Noise AB - This project supports Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) air quality (AQ) and Noise Analysis. KW - Air quality KW - Environmental impacts KW - Noise control KW - U.S. Federal Highway Administration UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1370913 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01543760 TI - Guidelines for Maintaining Small Movement Bridge Expansion Joints AB - Bridge expansion joints are designed to accommodate bridge movement and rotation as well as to protect the bridge superstructure and substructure elements such as beam/girder ends, piers, abutments, pedestals, and bearings from runoff water and deicing chemicals. Proper performance of bridge expansion joints has a significant impact on the service life of multiple bridge elements, and therefore, the long-term serviceability of the bridge. The origins of many extensive bridge rehabilitations and even replacement projects can be traced back to the condition of expansion joints. Therefore, bridge owners invest significant resources toward the design, construction, and maintenance of bridge expansion joints. Nonetheless, the performance of bridge joints has been problematic for bridge owners across the country. Improper sizing of the joint seal, poor substrate preparation, and improper application have been cited as some of the reasons for joint failures. To overcome these failure mechanisms, bridge owners need clear guidelines for evaluating the performance of bridge expansion joints and maintaining them. The objective of this research is to develop proposed guidelines with commentary for evaluating and maintaining small movement bridge joints (i.e., 4 in. or less) to support the decisions of bridge owners. The proposed guidelines with commentary should cover as a minimum: (1) joint failure mechanisms; (2) performance metrics (e.g., service life and life cycle costs (LCC)) to select the best performing joints considering bridge geometry, environmental loading, and other factors; and (3) procedures for maintenance, repair, and replacement of bridge joints. The proposed guidelines will be presented in a format suitable for AASHTO consideration. Accomplishment of the project objective will require at least the following tasks: PHASE I--Synthesis Report and Procedures Development (1). Conduct a literature review of relevant domestic and international research, specifications, and current practices to determine the current state of knowledge on (1) joint failure mechanisms and performance and (2) strategies for the maintenance of small movement joints. This information shall be assembled from published and unpublished reports, contacts with academia, transportation agencies, industry organizations, and joint manufactures. (2). Conduct a survey of bridge owners and other stakeholders to collect data related to the research objective. Follow-up with participants as needed. The survey plan including questions and participants shall be submitted to the National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) for review and approval prior to distribution. (3). Prepare a technical memorandum for NCHRP review and approval summarizing Tasks 1 and 2 no later than 4 months after contract award. The technical memorandum should also include joint failure mechanisms and performance metrics (e.g., service life and life cycle cost (LCC)) that can be used to evaluate joints for normal and complex bridge geometries. (4). Develop procedures for maintenance, repair, and replacement of joints. (5). Prepare an outline of the proposed guidelines, including discussion of the contents and intent. (6). Prepare an interim report that documents Tasks 1 through 5 and also includes an updated work plan on Phase II no later than 12 months after contract award. PHASE II--Guidelines Development (7). Develop proposed guidelines with commentary for evaluating and maintaining small movement bridge joints according to the approved outline. (8). Prepare final deliverables including (1) a final report that documents the entire research effort, (2) the guidelines as a standalone document in American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) format, and (3) a recommended implementation plan for the guidelines. KW - Bridges KW - Expansion joints KW - Failure KW - Guidelines KW - Life cycle costing KW - Maintenance KW - Service life UR - http://apps.trb.org/cmsfeed/TRBNetProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=3651 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1331867 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01541215 TI - Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment of Highway Winter Maintenance AB - One of basic requirements of successfully implementing a highway winter maintenance strategy is appropriate selection of chloride-based snow and ice control products. The growing concern over negative impacts that chloride-based chemicals pose on motor vehicles, transportation infrastructure and the natural environment triggers a need to adopt sustainability principles to highway winter maintenance. Due to the manufacturing and processing technique of chloride-based snow and ice control products, the entire road-treatment life cycle of chloride-based chemicals contributes to the environmental footprint of winter maintenance operations. The objective of this research project is to develop a systemic life-cycle framework to enable comprehensive assessment of environmental sustainability of winter highway operations (e.g., anti-icing, deicing, and sanding/plowing). The dimensions to consider for environmental assessment will include: energy consumption, impacts on water quality/air quality/vegetation/wildlife/human health, detrimental effects on asphalt and concrete infrastructure (e.g., pavements and bridge decks); corrosive effects on steel bridges and motor vehicles. Our goal is to provide a new way of thinking on evaluating highway winter maintenance strategies through a life-cycle sustainability assessment approach. The proposed project follows the center theme of Center for Environmentally Sustainable Transportation in Cold Climates (CESTiCC) research, i.e. "Systematic approaches to environmental sustainability in transportation for cold regions and beyond" and focuses on one of its research thrusts "environmental impact assessment". Development of comprehensive life-cycle sustainability assessment framework aims to provide a systematic and useful sustainability assessment tool for Department of Transportation and highway agencies to strike a right balance in meeting multiple goals of highway winter maintenance, including safety, mobility, environmental stewardship, infrastructure preservation, and economics. Based on the assessment results obtained from this life-cycle framework, it will greatly reduce the environmental impacts associated with highway winter maintenance by using the most environmentally-friendly and fiscally responsible treatment chemicals which also has a higher sustainability degree. KW - Corrosion KW - Deicing chemicals KW - Environmental impacts KW - Life cycle analysis KW - Snow and ice control KW - Sustainable development KW - Winter maintenance UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1328331 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01542842 AU - El-adaway, Islam AU - Mississippi State University, Mississippi State AU - National Center for Intermodal Transportation for Economic Competitiveness AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Analyzing Traffic Layout Using Dynamic Social Network Analysis PY - 2014/07/12 SP - 39p AB - It is essential to build, maintain, and use our transportation systems in a manner that meets our current needs while addressing the social and economic needs of future generations. In today’s world, transportation congestion causes serious negative impacts to our societies. To this end, researchers have been utilizing various statistical methods to better study the flow of traffic into the road networks. However, these valuable studies cannot realize their true potential without solid in-depth understanding of the connectivity between the various traffic intersections. This paper bridges the gap between the engineering and social science domains. To this end, the authors propose a dynamic social network analysis (SNA) framework to study the centrality of the existing road networks. This approach utilizes the field of network analysis where: (1) visualization and modeling techniques allow capturing the relationships, interactions, and attributes of and between network constituents, and (2) mathematical measurements facilitate analyzing quantitative relationships within the network. Connectivity and the importance of each intersection within the network will be understood using this method. The authors conducted SNA using two studies in Louisiana. Results indicate intersection SNA modeling aligns with current congestion studies and transportation planning decisions. KW - Connectivity KW - Louisiana KW - Mathematical models KW - Road networks KW - Social network analysis KW - Traffic congestion KW - Transportation planning KW - Visualization UR - http://www.ncitec.msstate.edu/wp-content/uploads/2012-07FR.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1328533 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01530904 AU - Banerjee, Swagata AU - Chandrasekaran, Sandhya AU - Venkittaraman, Ashok AU - Mid-Atlantic Universities Transportation Center AU - Pennsylvania State University, University Park AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Optimal Bridge Retrofit Strategy to Enhance Disaster Resilience of Highway Transportation Systems PY - 2014/07/08/Final Report SP - 61p AB - This study evaluated the resilience of highway bridges under the multihazard scenario of earthquake in the presence of flood-induced scour. To mitigate losses incurred from bridge damage during extreme events, bridge retrofit strategies are selected such that the retrofit not only enhances bridge performance, but also improves resilience of the system consisting of these bridges. The first part of the report focuses on the enhancement of seismic resilience of bridges through retrofit. To obtain results specific to a bridge, a reinforced concrete bridge in the Los Angeles region was analyzed. This bridge was severely damaged during the Northridge earthquake due to shear failure of one bridge pier. A seismic vulnerability model of the bridge was developed through finite element analysis under a suite of time histories that represent regional seismic hazard. The obtained bridge vulnerability model was combined with appropriate loss and recovery models to calculate the seismic resilience of the bridge. The impact of retrofit on seismic resilience was observed by applying a suitable retrofit strategy to the bridge, assuming its undamaged condition prior to the Northridge event. A difference in resilience observed before and after bridge retrofit signified the effectiveness of seismic retrofit. The applied retrofit technique was also found to be cost effective through a cost-benefit analysis. A first-order, second-moment reliability analysis was performed and a tornado diagram developed to identify major uncertain input parameters to which seismic resilience is most sensitive. Statistical analysis of resilience obtained through random sampling of major uncertain input parameters revealed that the uncertain nature of seismic resilience can be characterized with a normal distribution, the standard deviation of which represents the uncertainty in seismic resilience. An optimal (with respect to cost and resilience) bridge retrofit strategy under multihazard was obtained in the second phase of this study. A multi-objective evolutionary algorithm, namely Non-dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm II, was used. Application of this algorithm was demonstrated by retrofitting a bridge with column jackets and evaluating bridge resilience under the multihazard effect of earthquake and flood-induced scour. Three different retrofit materials—steel, carbon fiber, and glass fiber composites—were used. Required jacket thickness and cost of jacketing for each material differed to achieve the same level of resilience. Results from the optimization, called Pareto-optimal set, include solutions that are distinct from each other in terms of associated cost, contribution to resilience enhancement, and values of design parameters. This optimal set offers the best search results based on selected materials and design configurations for jackets. KW - Before and after studies KW - Benefit cost analysis KW - Earthquake resistant design KW - Genetic algorithms KW - Highway bridges KW - Los Angeles (California) KW - Optimization KW - Reinforced concrete bridges KW - Resilience (Materials) KW - Retrofitting KW - Scour KW - Statistical analysis UR - http://www.mautc.psu.edu/docs/PSU-2012-01.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/52000/52100/52173/PSU-2012-01.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1316013 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01563859 TI - Promoting Safe Transportation Among Older Drivers: Risk Assessment via Driving Simulator AB - The primary objective is to validate driving simulator scenarios to assess older driver safety in a clinical-setting. Older drivers' performance in the driving simulator will be validated as compared to in-clinic assessments, on-road driving performance, and state recorded driving citations and crash involvement. Metrics of driving simulator performance indicative of older driver risk will be determined. There is a pressing need for developing and implementing safe and valid methods of assessing older drivers' risk, which will be met by the proposed study. KW - Aged drivers KW - Driver performance KW - Driving simulators KW - High risk drivers KW - Highway safety KW - Risk assessment UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1354965 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01577843 TI - Visualization Software to Promote Scenario Planning AB - Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Planning Capacity Building Planning Methods and Oversight. KW - Highway capacity KW - Oversight KW - Planning methods KW - Software KW - Transportation planning KW - U.S. Federal Highway Administration KW - Visualization UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1371013 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01530215 TI - Algae Based Glycerin Fuel Project AB - The thrust of this project is demonstrating the feasibility of a marine based bioreactor capable of producing, extracting and purifying glycerol from the microalgae species, Dunaliella tertiolecta. Dunaliella tertiolecta, a saltwater microalgae species, has been shown to dedicate the majority of its fixed carbon dioxide (CO&#8322;) to extracellular glycerol production. The leakage of glycerol across the cell membrane into the growth medium raise the possibility of extracting glycerol while maintaining a healthy algae culture - a major necessity for economical biofuel production from microalgae. Microalgae represent a potentially huge opportunity in offshore renewable energy generation and storage. Microalgae produce energy rich biofuels year round in marginal environments at rates in excess of 10 times that of plants. If microalgae could be cultured and maintained remotely a huge quantity of biofuels could be produced economically without displacing conventional agricultural products. The project studies the production of glycerin from algae with the intention of scaling up this system to farm scale production process which can produce commercial quantities of biofuel in a sustainable and efficient manner. Protocols for growth and production condition, including inexpensive growth media, CO&#8322; fixation issues, glycerin monitoring systems and glycerin separation methods are issues being studied in this project. KW - Biomass fuels KW - Carbon dioxide KW - Glycerol KW - Microalgae KW - Monitoring KW - Renewable energy sources UR - http://www.mma.edu/metel/784 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1315720 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01578291 TI - Ex-Post Value for Money Analysis of Public Private Partnerships in Freight Transportation Infrastructure AB - Transportation agencies are increasingly embracing Public Private Partnerships (P3s) as an innovative means to deliver transportation projects. While the list of potential P3 benefits is vast, there is little empirical evidence about the actual effectiveness of transportation P3s. The goal of this research is to develop an ex-post value for money analysis framework and perform empirical analysis of P3s compared to conventional project delivery. The project proposes to perform a longitudinal study of three unique projects in which both traditional and P3 method are used. The longitudinal study will be complemented with a cross-sectional data analysis of more than 100 mega transportation projects procured for the past 10 years. It is anticipated that the analysis will provide insightful findings about whether, when, and why a P3 delivers value for money. It is anticipated that the research will provide policy implications concerning the use of P3s in transportation investment spanning all modes. The ex-post value for money analysis framework has practical applicability for transportation agencies to monitor and evaluate their P3 operations. KW - Empirical methods KW - Megaprojects KW - Monitoring KW - Project delivery KW - Public private partnerships KW - Transportation departments UR - http://ntc.umd.edu/node/79 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1372392 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01573285 TI - Development of a Large-Scale Traffic Simulation Model for Hurricane Evacuation of Mississippi Coastal Region AB - Hurricanes are one of the most catastrophic events resulting in severe consequences including loss of life and property damage. The magnitude of devastation was evident in the hurricanes Katrina and Rita in the Gulf coast. The Mississippi Gulf coast region generally refers to the Gulfport-Biloxi-Pascagoula Area that consists of the Gulfport-Biloxi Metropolitan Area and the Pascagoula Metropolitan Area, including five counties and a joint population of about 400 thousand residents and 150 thousand families. The casino industry and tourism in the region also attract thousands of tourists and travelers from everywhere. Emergency management teams play a huge role in safeguarding the lives of people in endangered areas by evacuating them to safer locations as efficiently as possible. An evacuation plan is an essential component of an emergency plan. The proposed research will study the effect of applying various traffic control plans (TCP) to the Mississippi coast region to provide the most efficient movement of vehicles out of the region during a hurricane evacuation. UPDATE: 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. Project complete. KW - Disaster preparedness KW - Emergency management KW - Evacuation KW - Fatalities KW - Highway traffic control KW - Hurricane Katrina, 2005 KW - Hurricane Rita, 2005 KW - Hurricanes KW - Mississippi Gulf Coast UR - http://martrec.uark.edu UR - http://martrec.uark.edu/research/martrec_final_report_development.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1366466 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01573284 TI - Exploration of Novel Multifunctional Open Graded Friction Courses (MOGFC) for In-situ Highway Runoff Treatment AB - This study is aimed at exploring a new material for in-situ treatment of highway storm water runoffs to prevent pollution of water bodies. Storm water runoffs from highways contain both organic and inorganic contaminants of which large portions are eventually conveyed to the nearby water bodies such as rivers and lakes. The U.S. Departments of Transportation (DOT) are subjected to increasing pressures from water quality regulatory agencies for the control and treatment of highway storm water runoffs. There is an urgent need to alleviate the effects of highway runoffs. Copper and zinc have been identified to be the major inorganic contaminants in highway runoffs. The goal of this study is to explore a Multifunctional Open Graded Frictional Courses (MOGFC) by adding innovative additives to Open Graded Friction Courses (OGFC) to create a new material that has high heavy metal removal capacities. A series of batch experiments will be conducted to optimize the material composition and fabrication process and to determine its adsorption capacities for heavy metal removals. Technical guidance for highway application of this material for effective management of highway storm water runoffs will be produced. KW - Drainage KW - Friction course KW - Runoff KW - State departments of transportation KW - Water quality management UR - http://martrec.uark.edu UR - http://martrec.uark.edu/research/yadong-li-final-report-2016.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1366465 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01573283 TI - In-Situ Monitoring and Assessment of Post Barge-Bridge Collision Damage for Minimizing Traffic Delay and Detour AB - Bridges over major navigation waterways often suffer from barge collisions. After collisions, both bridges and navigation waterways are usually closed to traffic for assessing the collision damage of bridge structures, leading to substantial traffic delay or detour. The ultimate goal of this project is to improve the mobility and emergency preparedness for the transportation systems of both highways and navigation waterways through implementing Intelligent Transportation Systems. This project aims to develop an efficient in-situ monitoring and data processing scheme for assisting bridge professionals to reliably assess the barge-bridge collision damage and make prompt and informative decision on the operation the bridge and navigation waterways. The project will explore the efficient sensor deployment that can unitize low-cost acceleration sensors to effectively capture the useful information on collision damages, and effective data processing scheme that integrates Bayesian probabilistic inference and in-situ sensor data to assess collision damages and their uncertainties, and validate their effectiveness through extensive simulated tests. KW - Barges KW - Bridges KW - Detours KW - Disaster preparedness KW - Mobility KW - Monitoring KW - Traffic delays KW - Water transportation crashes KW - Waterways UR - http://martrec.uark.edu UR - http://martrec.uark.edu/research/wei-zheng-final-report-2016.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1366464 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01567223 TI - Collaborating with American Indian Communities to Re-Interpret and Strategize About Transportation Safety Risks in Tribal Lands AB - The premise of this study is to better characterize and improve strategies to address the unusually high rates of fatalities and severe injuries from transportation-related crashes among American Indians in the United States. The rate of death and significant injury from motor vehicle crashes (MVCs) is much higher for American Indians than for any other racial or ethnic identity group in the United States. Tribal transportation and safety professionals; tribal, state, and federal agencies; and a range of policies and programs identify this situation as an area of elevated concern and priority. Existing explanations of this tragic phenomenon are primarily epidemiological, looking at sources of risk at the level of the entire American Indian population of the United States without adequate attention to heterogeneity within this group and the influence of dynamics and features of specific contexts. The design of this research is as described in the project title: Collaborating with American Indians to Re-Interpret and Strategize About Transportation Safety Risks in Tribal Lands. The focus is transportation safety risks specifically in tribal lands, not the population of American Indians as a whole. It is not restricted to only those who identify as American Indian, but rather to all persons facing transportation-related risks in tribal lands. The research is being conducted in collaboration with American Indian tribal governments and transportation leaders in Minnesota. Through qualitative research, the project gathers data from these stakeholders to enhance interpretation of the nature and sources of transportation safety risks in their particular contexts. Collection and analysis of these data are now underway, following a period of relationship building and case selection in concert with the tribes, as well as a review of the literature and existing data to reformulate the research questions and design. The research team is collaborating with Minnesota's Advocacy Council for Tribal Transportation (ACTT), partnering with four tribal governments in Minnesota on case studies, and interviewing key regional and national stakeholders. Through these relationships, we are collecting and analyzing rich qualitative data about stakeholders’ knowledge of the nature of and key sources of tribal transportation risks in the upper Midwest. We are also gathering success stories and concerns about current policies and management, analyzing crash data, and using our expertise in public policy and management to interpret all of these data and recommend strategic areas for intervention and investment. To date, this research has unearthed several previously undocumented explanations that merit closer study, both to better understand what is going on and to support effective responses. KW - Fatalities KW - Highway safety KW - Minnesota KW - Native Americans KW - Policy KW - Risk KW - Stakeholders UR - http://www.roadwaysafety.umn.edu/research/search/projectdetail.html?id=2015031 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1359194 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01567222 TI - Factors Affecting the Adoption of Evidence-Based Approaches to Road Safety by State Policymakers AB - The project analyzes various aspects of state highway safety plans and approaches tied to the Toward Zero Deaths program. Rather than simply take an inventory of the roadway safety policy and approaches in each state, though, this project focuses on garnering a better understanding of why certain roadway safety provisions have – or have not – been adopted in the six Midwestern study states. KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Fatalities KW - Illinois KW - Indiana KW - Michigan KW - Midwestern States KW - Minnesota KW - Ohio KW - Performance measurement KW - Public policy KW - Traffic safety KW - Wisconsin UR - http://www.roadwaysafety.umn.edu/research/search/projectdetail.html?id=2015027 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1359193 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01567221 TI - Performance Measures for Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety: Methodologies for Monitoring Traffic Volumes and Assessing Exposure to Risk AB - Research priorities established by MAP-21 legislation with input from Region 5 state departments of transportation include traffic operational safety and identify bicyclists and pedestrians as high-risk road users. While the Minnesota Department of Transportation and other state DOTs have developed countermeasures and interventions to increase the safety of bicyclists and pedestrians, the effects of their efforts on risk, exposure to risk, and crash and fatality rates cannot be determined because state and local officials lack information about bicycle and pedestrian traffic volumes. This project is developing tools for estimating bicycle and pedestrian traffic volumes that can be used to inform assessments of exposure to risk. Researchers are collaborating with state and local agencies to conduct and analyze manual counts, deploy commercially available monitoring technologies, and collect and analyze bicycle and pedestrian traffic data. To date, researchers have estimated bicycle and pedestrian facility demand models from manual counts in Minneapolis (Hankey and Lindsey 2016, forthcoming (1)). Additionally, researchers have used counts of bicycle traffic and facility demand models estimated from those counts to characterize exposure to risk on the street network and assess crash risk in Minneapolis (Wang, Lindsey and Hankey, 2017(submitted)). Researchers also have used automated counts to assess the need for traffic controls at urban trail crossings in Minneapolis (Lindsey, Peterka, Wang, 2017(submitted)). Case studies in the smaller communities of Bemidji and Duluth involve analyses of bicycle counts and estimation of demand models similar to those estimated for Minneapolis. Estimates of bicycle traffic from demand models also have been used to estimate exposure to risks and assess crash risk in Bemidji and Duluth. The data and tools generated through this project will inform future research related to quantification of risk and crash rates and help agencies make better planning and management decisions. KW - Bicycling KW - Fatalities KW - Minnesota Department of Transportation KW - Monitoring KW - Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act KW - Pedestrian traffic KW - Risk assessment KW - State departments of transportation KW - Traffic data KW - Traffic safety KW - Traffic volume UR - http://www.roadwaysafety.umn.edu/research/search/projectdetail.html?id=2015026 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1359192 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01567220 TI - A Positioning and Mapping Methodology Using Bluetooth and Smartphone Technologies to Support Situation Awareness and Wayfinding for the Visually Impaired AB - Many environmental cues, though not always reliable, are available to support the decision making of the visually impaired on various levels of wayfinding and situation awareness. People with vision impairment are less confident in traveling alone in an unfamiliar environment largely due to uncertainty and insufficient information in such an environment. To improve their mobility, accessibility, and level of confidence in using the transportation system, it is important to remove not only the physical barriers but also the information barriers that could potentially impede their mobility. In the past, many personal assistive systems have been developed to provide information to the visually impaired. This assistive information is good if the visually impaired can trust that the information provided is valid and robust. What is needed is a "self-aware" infrastructure, i.e., a system that can self-monitor and make sure that the information is up-to-date. This research has developed a standalone Bluetooth Low Energy smart system (called BLE master) prototype integrating commercial off-the-shelf BLE beacons. The system can detect when any of its beacons are not functioning because of a loss of power or vandalism, for example. A statistical methodology has also been developed to monitor infrastructure and make sure information is up-to-date. KW - Alertness KW - Barrier free design KW - Bluetooth technology KW - Decision making KW - Mapping KW - Mobility KW - Smartphones KW - Visually impaired persons KW - Wayfinding UR - http://www.roadwaysafety.umn.edu/research/search/projectdetail.html?id=2015025 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1359191 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01543566 TI - Sustainable Construction in Remote Cold Regions: Methods and Knowledge Transfer for Strategies AB - Remoteness and cold climate make construction in rural Alaska challenging and expensive. Sustainable construction practices serve to reduce the negative environmental consequences of construction projects and often reduce their life-cycle cost. While such practices are commonly considered in warm climate construction, especially for horizontal construction, little knowledge has been accumulated about sustainable construction in cold regions. This project will: (1) translate common sustainable construction methods in use for vertical construction into similar approaches for horizontal construction for use as a checklist of topics for horizontal construction in remote and cold regions; (2) identify appropriate sustainable horizontal construction methods for use in remote regions and in severe climates; (3) and develop guidelines and means for the formal transfer of such methodologies to those who conduct construction operations in such environments; (4) examine practicality of such techniques for use in remote and harsh environments by rural residents. Without effective knowledge transfer, this project will not be considered a success. Thus, a major objective is the incorporation of findings into construction practice. As outlined in the work plan, the project will do this in the following ways: (1) a meeting with industry leaders to report interim findings; (2) publishing a peer-reviewed paper and publishing findings in the grey literature, such as AGC newsletter, APDC News, and so on; (3) a short course or similar learning experience to teach our guidelines to those conducting construction work in rural Alaska, and inviting attendees from rural Alaska; (4) incorporating findings into construction course(s) at the University of Alaska at Fairbanks (UAF); (5) working to include guidelines into DOT&PF and other standard specifications for construction. In practical practice today, many sustainability issues are addressed or "fixed" later by environmental compliance or maintenance practices. Here the project approaches this more proactively by examining modifications to construction practices in the north. Alaska is a great location for such a study because of our extreme seasonality, very low population density connected by roads, hundreds of rural airports, and other features. The project plans to test our ideas by seminar and interview with people and make sure our recommendations are feasible in rural regions. Potential for implementation and peer-reviewed publications ("addressing current gaps in research"): Because our work with sustainable construction is not heavily reported and our work in very cold climates and remote work is novel, we expect it to be publishable in peer-reviewed journals. And contribution to education and workforce development. The deliverables include courses, both suitable for working engineers and technical professionals and literature and graphic and video materials suitable for worker training. By holding a seminar for people active in the field and familiar with the situation. KW - Alaska KW - Construction management KW - Frigid regions KW - Guidelines KW - Knowledge KW - Life cycle analysis KW - Rural areas KW - Sustainable development UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1331163 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01542810 TI - End Zone Design for Alabama Deep Prestressed Girders AB - The goal of this proposed research project is to provide a practical engineering solution to the end zone cracking problem. The main objective of the proposed research project is to provide the Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) Bridge Bureau with practical and experimentally verified end zone details, to minimize end zone cracking issues, prolong the service life and improve the durability of pretensioned concrete girders in Alabama. The strain monitoring data will offer a unique opportunity to better understand the complex end zone behavior of pretensioned concrete girders. The recommended long span girder design can not only be directly applied in future ALDOT bridge design practice, but also contribute to solving end zone cracking --- a nation-wide concern on implementing the structurally efficient design of long span deep girders. KW - Alabama KW - Alabama Department of Transportation KW - Bridge design KW - Cracking KW - Durability KW - Girders KW - Long span bridges KW - Prestressed concrete bridges KW - Service life UR - http://utca.eng.ua.edu/research/projects/?id=14405 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1329302 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01541908 TI - Incorporating Livability and the Urban Form into Travel Demand Forecasting Models in High Growth Rural and Small Urban Communities AB - There are many decision makers in rural and small urban communities experiencing dramatic population growth need sound estimates of future traffic in order to set land use and transportation policies. Metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) of major metropolitan areas have dedicated staff that build and run travel demand forecasting models (TDFM) costing them hundreds of thousands of dollars a year. TDFMs provide current and future traffic estimates based on different land use and infrastructure improvement scenarios. Rural areas cannot afford these full models and rely on a very simple TDFM (the rapid assessment model) built once every five to ten years (or not at all). The rapid assessment model could be improved to incorporate aspects so that future traffic estimates are sensitive to livability policies and programs. One such effort involved adding sensitivity to urban form (Berger and McGowen, in prep). It is known that citizens travel differently when urban form changes (i.e., increased mixed land use and higher densities). Rapid assessment models, typically used in rural and small urban communities, utilize a basic model structure and factors based on national data; this approach is thought to ignore urban form. McGowen and Berger have developed and implemented a modified rapid assessment model that is relatively easy to implement, uses existing data and is sensitive to urban form. Building on the McGowen-Berger model, the urban form sensitivity will be further refined by "ground-truthing" with data for the case study in the Greater Bozeman Area TDFM. Additionally, other livability metrics will be incorporated such as bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure, and sidewalk connectivity. KW - Bozeman (Montana) KW - Communities KW - Connectivity KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Land use planning KW - Quality of life KW - Rural areas KW - Travel demand KW - Urban design UR - http://www.westerntransportationinstitute.org/centers/small-urban-and-rural-livability-center/default.aspx UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1329140 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01539801 TI - Environmental Assessment of Airport Pavement Design and Construction Alternatives AB - The proposed research is to develop and demonstrate an environmental assessment tool to quantify the life-cycle emissions (in particular carbon footprint) associated with different airport pavement design, construction, maintenance and rehabilitation strategies. This environmental assessment tool can help airport authorities incorporate environmental sustainability into their decision-making process. The tool can be also used to monitor and control environmental impact by identifying high-impact material and construction processes in the pavement life cycle. Another outcome of the research is the comparison of different pavement design and construction practices through quantitative analysis of energy consumption and greenhouse gas (GHG) emission. These research outcomes will lead to the enhancement of infrastructure sustainability in the aviation community through protection of the environment, and conversation of natural resources, while meeting performance requirements. KW - Airport runways KW - Energy consumption KW - Environmental impacts KW - Greenhouse gases KW - Life cycle analysis KW - Pavement design KW - Service life UR - https://cait.rutgers.edu/cait/research/environmental-assessment-airport-pavement-design-and-construction-alternatives UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1325134 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01534970 TI - Evaluation of High Friction Surface Treatment Binders AB - This project contains a series of field related activities. One type of aggregate topping (bauxite) will be applied to at least four different types of binder at up to 30 sites to generate high friction surface treatment. Selection of sites and construction of surface treatment at these sites is not within the scope of work defined for Penn State involvement with this project. Penn State will visit the sites for general evaluation before application, observation and documentation of findings from placement and construction, and will conduct a follow-up visit after 30 days to evaluate initial performance. The overall goal of the project is to evaluate the construction, implementation, and initial performance of high friction surface treatment (HFST) at high-crash sites using at least 4 different binder materials. The findings of this project will be used by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) to better determine which binder materials and construction practices successfully work for HFST use and application. KW - Bauxite KW - Bituminous binders KW - Construction KW - Friction KW - High risk locations KW - Implementation KW - Pennsylvania KW - Performance evaluations KW - Surface treating UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1320827 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01530217 TI - Diesel/Glycerin Emulsion Fuel Project AB - This project scope is to evaluate Diesel/Glycerin emulsion fuels in marine &#8339;vessels. The company Sea Change Group LLC is developing the diesel/glycerin fuels that will be tested in this effort. Maine Maritime Academy (MMA) will test the fuels both in laboratory diesel engine s and in MMA work vessels under at-sea conditions. The project will evaluate the fuel as a drop-in, low emissions, low cost fuel for use in heavy marine engines as found in marine, rail and stationary power application such as pipeline pumping stations. Glycerin is a waste product of the biodiesel industry and has significant fuel content and is very low cost. When emulsified with diesel, testing has shown that significant NO&#8339; and particulate matter emissions reductions can be achieved, comparable to the emissions reductions seen using water emulsion fuels. The project will evaluate the Diesel/glycerin emulsion fuels for emissions and vessel performance in the MMA R/V Quickwater, a 41 foot coast Guard fast response vessel, that is specially equipped for high fidelity emissions and performance testing. The vessel has twin Diesel engines allowing side by side comparison testing under at sea conditions. Multiple fuels can be switched over to each engine in real time for each engine while underway, allowing unbiased comparison between two fuels simultaneously. KW - Diesel engine exhaust gases KW - Fuel emulsions KW - Fuels KW - Glycerin KW - Pollutants KW - Ships KW - Waste products UR - http://www.mma.edu/metel/777 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1315722 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01530216 TI - Hydrogen Injection in Diesel Fuel Project AB - This project scope is to evaluate Hydrogen Injection into Diesel fuels in marine vessels as an emissions reduction technology. The company Global Marine Consulting (GMC) is developing the hydrogen injection system for use in marine vessel and will supply the hardware to be tested in this effort. Maine Maritime Academy (MMA) will test the hydrogen injection system both in laboratory diesel engines and in MMA work vessels under at-sea conditions. The project will evaluate this technology as an emission reduction and mitigation system for use in heavy marine engines as found in marine, rail and stationary power application such as pipeline pumping stations. Preliminary testing by GMC has showed that hydrogen injected into diesel fuel can significantly reduce NO&#8339; and Particulate Matter. The system generates hydrogen using shipboard electrical power typically available on a marine vessel. The project will evaluate both emissions as well as engine performance using the system, including effects on vessel operating costs. The project will evaluate the GMC hydrogen injection system for emissions and vessel performance in the MMA R/V Quickwater, a 41 foot coast Guard fast response vessel, that is specially equipped for high fidelity emissions and performance testing. The vessel has twin Diesel engines allowing side by side comparison testing under at sea conditions. Multiple Fuels can be switched over to each engine in real time for each engine while underway, allowing unbiased comparison between two fuels simultaneously. KW - Diesel engine exhaust gases KW - Diesel fuels KW - Hydrogen KW - Operating costs KW - Pollutants KW - Ships KW - Technological innovations UR - http://www.mma.edu/metel/778 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1315721 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01530214 TI - Development of Thermoelectric Exhaust Generator (TEG) Heat Recovery Systems for Marine Diesels AB - Thermoelectric materials are an enabling technology that allows the recapture of this wasted energy from heat sources, such as exhaust and coolant systems, which account for nearly 50% of the total combustion energy. If a fraction of the marine diesel's wasted energy could be harnessed and stored with high power density batteries, an electric drive system could be utilized to transport ships quietly and cleanly into and out of congested ports and high population centers. Overall, a dramatic reduction of the maritime industry's carbon footprint could be realized, as a modest 10% increase in engine efficiency translates into a savings of approximately 180,000 barrels of fuel per day on a world-wide basis. Solid state thermoelectric materials, when exposed to a thermal gradient, generate an electric potential according to the Seebeck effect. While the automobile industry has taken a lead in commercializing thermoelectric generators (TEG) as early as 2013, it is the marine industry that may well be the greater beneficiary of this technology. Economies of scale, the ability to generate a higher thermal gradient, and fewer weight and volume constraints, all suggest a promising feasibility for marine applications. The successful development of a hybrid thermoelectric vessel (green ship) at Maine Maritime Academy is an integral part of the Marine Engine Testing and Emissions Laboratory. Maine Maritime Academy, partnered with Thermoelectric Power Systems, LLC, has been conducting research and development in the applications of thermoelectric generators (TEGs) since 2008. The technical rationale behind the inclusion of thermoelectric research is comprised of the following objectives: (1) Provide data on the systems-wide effects of the use of TEGs on plant efficiency and performance (in a marine environment); (2) Identification of optimal marine platforms to utilize TEG energy recovery systems; (3) Identification of optimal thermoelectric materials and TEG designs for classes of marine platforms; (4) To provide the U.S. Department of Transportation with an objective and systems level evaluation of TEGs in marine applications KW - Economies of scale KW - Energy resources KW - Generators KW - Greenhouse gases KW - Heat recovery KW - Marine diesel engines KW - Ships KW - Technological innovations KW - Thermoelectric materials UR - http://www.mma.edu/metel/776 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1315719 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01530213 TI - Development of Advanced Biofuels for Marine Applications Project AB - The thrust of this project is to develop biofuel/biodiesel conversion processes using crude biomass as feedstock. University of Maine's (UMaine's) Forest Bioproducts Research Institute (FBRI) has currently developed a Thermal DeOxygenation (TDO) process and formate assisted pyrolysis process (FasP) for converting crude biomass to biofuel products. The project will focus on upgrading those laboratory processes to produce viable marine biodiesel derivatives which will be testing in Maine Maritime Academy's (MMA's) METEL laboratory test diesel engines. The significant challenge in converting biomass into a transportation fuel is the removal of oxygen which can affect both the stability of the fuel in addition to its compatibility with petroleum derived fuels and infrastructure. The University of Maine has developed two transformative chemical pathways to convert biomass into crude oils that are compatible with petroleum transportation fuels (TDO and FasP). These oils are highly stable and have oxygen contents ranging from 1-10 wt%. Yields from these processes are greater than 50% on an energy basis and show promise as a viable method to efficiently convert crude biomass to marine fuels. UMaine/FBRI will develop and optimize the TDO and FasP processes to produce liter quantities of marine grade biofuel which will then be testing in MMA's single cylinder diesel engine test stand and evaluated for performance and emissions characteristic as compared to conventional diesel fuel. KW - Biodiesel fuels KW - Biomass fuels KW - Crude oil KW - Diesel fuels KW - Marine diesel engines KW - Oxygen content KW - Petroleum fuels UR - http://www.mma.edu/metel/775 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1315718 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01530187 TI - Examination of Driver Behavior in Response to Bicyclist Behaviors AB - In order to make roadways safer for bicycles and pedestrians via infrastructure changes or in-vehicle technology warning systems for drivers, it is important to understand how drivers respond to such countermeasures, as well as to pedestrian and bicyclist behaviors. The primary objective of this project is gain a better understanding of driver response to pedestrian and bicyclist behaviors through the convergence of epidemiological, observational, naturalistic, data to create simulated scenarios to test driver performance. The project will specifically focus on the impact of different infrastructure (e.g., bicycle lanes, crosswalks, refuge islands, etc.) and in-vehicle warning systems on driver response to bicyclists and pedestrians in typical settings and during safety-critical events (e.g., pedestrian distraction). Surveillance and naturalistic bicycle and pedestrian video data will be coded and considered, along with epidemiologic data, to identify patterns. From this analysis, the common variables will be extracted and used to develop several scenarios to examine driver response to bicyclists and pedestrians. KW - Bicycles KW - Countermeasures KW - Drivers KW - Mobile communication systems KW - Pedestrian movement KW - Pedestrian safety KW - Traffic safety KW - Traffic surveillance KW - Travel behavior KW - Warning systems UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1315595 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01530185 TI - Cross-Platform Driving Simulator Scenarios to Use in the Roadway Design and Planning Process AB - In recent years driving simulators have emerged as powerful tools to support highway safety evaluations. This trend, combined with advances in computer aided design (CAD) technology, theoretically allows the creation of driving simulator scenarios that can be used to conduct virtual road safety audits in order to better understand driver performance on the field while still benefiting from a controlled laboratory environment. Regardless of advances in technology, the scenario creation process is a lengthy and system-specific process. Time spent creating a scenario for a specific simulator provides no benefit to researchers or transportation designers who wish to run an experiment using the same scenario on a different platform. This lack of scenario compatibility is a barrier to collaboration between institutions conducting driving simulation research. Having scenarios that can be shared across multiple platforms can foster collaboration between institutions, and provide opportunities to study broader subject demographics and regional characteristics. This project aims to create the core of a driving simulator scenario (visual database and road surface definition) that is compatible with two popular simulator platforms: MiniSim and RTI. The focus of the team on the core aspect of the scenario is because the 3d modelling task and road definition are among the most time consuming tasks in scenario creation. The creation of a cross-platform driving simulator scenario will be demonstrated by creating the 3d model and road surface definition of the roads around an existing intersection, preferably one for which naturalistic driving data is available. A computer program will be developed to create the necessary cross sectional data needed to define a road surface on both systems. The entire procedure will be documented in a final report that target simulator users that want to collaborate on research with other institutions across different driving simulator platforms. KW - Computer aided design KW - Cooperation KW - Driving simulators KW - Highway design KW - Virtual reality UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1315593 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01528769 TI - Best Practices for the Design, Evaluation, and Quality Control of High Percentage RAP Mixes AB - Using reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) in construction of new pavements has been a practice for decades. Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and many state highway agencies have been pursuing usage of high percentage RAP content in asphalt mixes. Within the last decade, there has been a good amount of research and development on high percentage RAP asphalt mixes in terms of design, construction, and performance. The work proposed in this document includes investigating NCHRP Report 752 and its accompanying appendix on high percentage RAP mixes as well as other pertinent established documents on the usage of such mixes, and incorporating the results of such investigation into pertinent Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) documents. The work also includes investigating the work that has been conducted by the FHWA expert task group on evaluating high percentage RAP mixes regarding mix design, performance, and best management practices. The PennDOT documents that will be affected by these practices, at a minimum, include Publication 27, Publication 408, and Publication 2. The overall goal of the project is the adaptation and implementation of accepted best practices for mix design procedures and performance evaluation for higher percentage RAP mixes. The main objective of this work is to make necessary changes to PennDOT publications that will be affected by recently proposed practices by NCHRP Report 752 and its accompanying appendix on best RAP management practices. KW - Asphalt mixtures KW - Best practices KW - Documents KW - Mix design KW - Pavement design KW - Pennsylvania Department of Transportation KW - Performance evaluations KW - Quality control KW - Reclaimed asphalt pavements UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1313829 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01524843 TI - Load Testing and Analysis of a 48-Year Old Out-of-Service Double Tee Girder Bridge AB - The results and analysis of the Icy Springs Bridge testing will yield insight into the deterioration of one of the first prestressed concrete bridges constructed in Utah. Built in 1965, the 54-foot long Icy Springs Bridge is composed of three double tee girders connected by several welded transverse connections similar to those found in parking structures. The bridge has sustained significant section loss and is posted at only 8 kips total load (traveling at 5 mph). Additionally, plans are not available. By understanding the behavior of this structure, similar structures can be treated in a similar manner and aid load rating engineers in the future. KW - Concrete bridges KW - Deterioration KW - Girder bridges KW - Girders KW - Load factor KW - Utah KW - Weldments UR - http://cait.rutgers.edu/cait/research/load-testing-and-analysis-48-year-old-out-service-double-tee-girder-bridge UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1308529 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01596855 AU - Solman, Gina AU - Filosa, Gina AU - Stahl, Leslie AU - Carroll, Todd AU - Wainer, Jordan AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - PEL and Corridor Planning: State of the Practice Review of Planning and Environment Linkages Implementation in Corridor Planning PY - 2014/07 SP - 35p AB - The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) commissioned a review of transportation corridor plans to determine the extent to which these plans have utilized FHWA's Planning and Environment Linkages (PEL) approach, as described in the FHWA Guidance on Using Corridor and Subarea Planning to Inform National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The PEL program seeks to help transportation decision-makers to consider environmental factors early in the planning process and to use that information to inform the environmental review process. Each corridor plan in the review was evaluated based on a set of PEL elements organized into four categories: Planning, Collaboration, NEPA, and Data and Documentation. The review found that the most common elements in corridor plans included: transportation problem statement, study purpose and need, corridor definition, and transportation modes. Across the 87 plans evaluated in this review, incorporation of environmental information varies from plan to plan and from State to State. However, the review found that several States have taken steps to explicitly incorporate PEL elements and mention PEL and the NEPA process in corridor plans. KW - Environmental impacts KW - Evaluation KW - National Environmental Policy Act KW - State of the practice KW - States KW - Transportation corridors KW - Transportation planning UR - https://www.environment.fhwa.dot.gov/integ/corridor_planning_report_July2014.asp UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1402503 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01574037 AU - Greenwood, Allen G AU - Hill, Travis W AU - Mississippi State University, Mississippi State AU - Mississippi State University, Canton AU - National Center for Intermodal Transportation for Economic Competitiveness AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Simulation Modeling of Domestic and International Intermodal Supply Paths PY - 2014/07//Final Report SP - 65p AB - The supply of material to a manufacturing facility obviously has a major impact on enterprise performance, whether measured in terms of cost, timeliness, quality, etc. Most material that is input to a manufacturing process is transported to the manufacturing facility via multiple modes of transportation, i.e., it involves intermodal transportation. Since the material must be acquired from outside of the manufacturing site, sourcing decisions have significant impact on overall enterprise performance. Critical elements of those sourcing decisions include specifying from where to acquire the material, in what quantity, etc. It may also involve deciding the modes that should be used to transport the material from the source to the manufacturer. Even if specifying the mode is not part of the decision process, it is a significant driver in terms of cost, reliability, timeliness, etc. These issues pertain to domestic supply, but more importantly to international supply. The sourcing decision is complex since it involves a large number of factors and considerations, as well as interdependencies between the factors, and considerable variability and uncertainty. This is especially true when considering international sourcing options, but is important in assessing alternative domestic intermodal paths as well. This project provides the capability, through a software toolset, to deal with these issues. Simulation modeling and analysis is commonly applied to complex problems similar to those in the sourcing decision. Simulation provides the means to perform sophisticated what-if analyses on complex problems, such as assessing alternative intermodal supply paths. The toolset provides a means to quickly develop simulation models of both domestic and international supply chains. The project also provides a case study that illustrates how the toolset can be applied in a real setting. KW - Case studies KW - Costs KW - Decision making KW - Intermodal transportation KW - Manufacturing KW - Simulation KW - Software KW - Supply chain management UR - http://www.ncitec.msstate.edu/wp-content/uploads/2012-09FR.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1363641 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01570374 AU - Williams, Trefor AU - Nelson, Christie AU - Betak, John AU - Pottenger, William AU - Rutgers University, Piscataway AU - Rutgers University, Piscataway AU - Rutgers University, Piscataway AU - New Jersey Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Railroad Operations Research and Training PY - 2014/07//Final Report SP - 26p AB - Grade crossing accidents are a major problem for the U.S. railroad industry. Research in grade crossing accidents has concentrated on methods to prioritize grade crossings using statistical and probabilistic methods. Recent advances in computer science in the areas of data mining, data visualization, and text mining have made it possible to consider other techniques to better understand the factors involved in grade crossing accidents, and to develop more accurate methods of identifying grade crossings requiring safety upgrades. It is the purpose of this paper to suggest and demonstrate new computer-based methods to better understand and visualize grade crossing data. This paper will discuss computer models that can be implemented to produce insights that can augment the existing prioritization techniques, and stand-alone models that can be used to identify potentially dangerous crossings. KW - Crash data KW - Data analysis KW - Data mining KW - Railroad crashes KW - Railroad grade crossings KW - Research projects KW - Text mining KW - Visualization UR - https://cait.rutgers.edu/files/CAIT-UTC-014-final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1359774 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01570305 AU - Williams, Trefor AU - Halling, Marv AU - Rutgers University, Piscataway AU - Rutgers University, Piscataway AU - New Jersey Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Analyzing Asset Management Data Using Data and Text Mining PY - 2014/07//Final Report SP - 10p AB - Predictive models using text from a sample competitively bid California highway projects have been used to predict a construction projects likely level of cost overrun. A text description of the project and the text of the five largest project line items were used as input. The text data were converted to numerical attributes using text-mining algorithms and singular value decomposition. Two models were produced. The first used only the text description as input, while the second combined the text data with the numeric value of the low bid. Classification models were produced using the K-Star classification algorithm. Modeling results indicated information in the textual descriptions is related to the projects level of cost overrun. KW - Algorithms KW - Asset management KW - Bids KW - Construction projects KW - Cost overruns KW - Data mining KW - Text mining UR - https://cait.rutgers.edu/files/CAIT-UTC-031-final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1359773 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01555801 AU - Lo, Wing Hong (Louis) AU - Barr, Paul J AU - Halling, Marv W 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 Post Tensioned Concrete Girders PY - 2014/07//Final Report SP - 113p AB - Recently, two separate Interstate 15 highway bridges over the 400 South roadway in Orem, Utah were demolished after 50 years of service. A total of four post-tensioned girders were salvaged from both the north-bound and south-bound bridge. A series of tests was performed with these girders in the System Material And Structural Health Laboratory (SMASH Lab). The girders were tested with different loading criteria to determine the strength and material properties of the girder. The experimental results were compared with the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials Load and Resistance Factor Design (AASHTO LRFD) Bridge Design Specifications and a finite-element model using ANSYS. The AASHTO LRFD Specification was fairly conservative on predicting capacity and capable of predicting the type of failure that occurred. The ANSYS model was developed and calibrated to model the girder behavior. The concrete properties in the model were significantly adjusted in order to be comparable to the experimental results. Further exploration in ANSYS needs to be done to precisely model the actual behavior of the girder. KW - AASHTO LRFD Bridge Design Specifications KW - ANSYS (Computer program) KW - Bearing capacity KW - Failure analysis KW - Finite element method KW - Girders KW - Highway bridges KW - Load tests KW - Orem (Utah) KW - Posttensioning UR - https://cait.rutgers.edu/files/CAIT-UTC-033-final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1342956 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01554288 AU - Eksioglu, Sandra D AU - Geunes, Joseph AU - Palak, Gokce AU - Azadi, Zahra AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Southeastern Transportation Research, Innovation, Development and Education Center (STRIDE) TI - Analyzing the Impact of Carbon Regulatory Mechanisms on Supply Chain Management PY - 2014/07//Final Report SP - 43p AB - The objective of this research is developing a toolset for designing and managing cost efficient and environmentally friendly supply chains for perishable products. The models the authors propose minimize transportation and inventory holding costs in the supply chain, while accounting for carbon emissions due to transportation and other activities. These models are extensions of the classical Economic Lot-Sizing (ELS) model. The ELS model identifies an inventory replenishment schedule for a fixed planning horizon with deterministic and time-varying demand. The authors extended these models to consider the use of multiple modes of transportation. The models support replenishment decisions for perishable products and capture the impact of inventory replenishment decisions on greenhouse gas emissions. The authors have used the numerical results to analyze the impact of potential carbon emission regulations on replenishment decisions. The authors anticipate that these models will be used to assess the impacts that potential carbon regulatory policies, such as carbon caps, carbon taxes, carbon cap-and-trade, and carbon offsets have on transportation mode selection decisions and overall emissions levels in the supply chain. The benefits from using these models are twofold. First, policy makers can use these models to evaluate the potential impact on emissions for each regulatory policy. Second, environmentally conscious companies can use these models and the corresponding solution algorithms as sub-modules within their material requirements planning (MRP) systems for requirements planning when multiple modes, multiple products, perishable products, and multiple supplier replenishment options are available. KW - Algorithms KW - Costs KW - Decision making KW - Greenhouse gases KW - Impacts KW - Numerical analysis KW - Perishables KW - Pollutants KW - Regulations KW - Supply chain management KW - Transportation modes UR - http://stride.ce.ufl.edu/uploads/docs/Eksioglu_STRIDE_Report-Final_Submitted.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/55000/55300/55327/Eksioglu_STRIDE_Report-Final_Submitted.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1343108 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01554065 TI - White Paper on Strategies for Transitioning to Zero-Emission Vehicles--Passenger AB - Zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) include battery-electric vehicles (BEVs), plug-in hybrid-electric vehicles (PHEVs), and hydrogen fuel-cell-electric vehicles (HFCVs). These technologies can be used in passenger cars, trucks and transit buses. ZEVs will enable reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, improve air quality and public health, enhance energy diversity, save consumers money, and promote economic growth. While national and regional sales still a small fraction of total new light-duty vehicle sales, the development of a sustainable market and industry for ZEVs is critical to achieve long-range carbon mitigation goals. Achieving this will require sustained collaborations between government at all levels and stakeholders, investments in research and development for continuous technology improvement, to drive down costs on new technology, and to develop a practical charging and refueling infrastructure. To support efforts by industry, government leaders will need to incorporate the best available research, knowledge, and real world experience on market behavior, infrastructure, and policy design into plans and decisions. KW - Air quality KW - Economic growth KW - Electric vehicles KW - Greenhouse gases KW - Passenger vehicles KW - Plug-in hybrid vehicles KW - Technological innovations KW - Transit buses KW - Zero emission vehicles UR - http://ncst.ucdavis.edu/white-paper/ucd-dot-wp3-1a UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1344626 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01546178 AU - Schnabel, William E AU - Fortier, Richard AU - Kanevskiy, Mikhail AU - Munk, Jens AU - Shur, Yuri AU - Trochim, Erin AU - University of Alaska, Anchorage AU - University of Alaska, Fairbanks AU - Alaska University Transportation Center AU - Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Geophysical Applications for Arctic/Subarctic Transportation Planning PY - 2014/07//Final Report SP - 136p AB - This report describes a series of geophysical surveys conducted in conjunction with geotechnical investigations carried out by the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the value of and potential uses for data collected via geophysical techniques with respect to ongoing investigations related to linear infrastructure. One or more techniques, including direct-current resistivity, capacitive-coupled resistivity, and ground-penetrating radar, were evaluated at sites in continuous and discontinuous permafrost zones. Results revealed that resistivity techniques adequately differentiate between frozen and unfrozen ground, and in some instances, were able to identify individual ice wedges in a frozen heterogeneous matrix. Capacitive-coupled resistivity was found to be extremely promising due to its relative mobility as compared with direct-current resistivity. Ground-penetrating radar was shown to be useful for evaluating the factors leading to subsidence in an existing road. Taken as a whole, the study results indicate that supplemental geophysical surveys may add to the quality of a geotechnical investigation by helping to optimize the placement of boreholes. Moreover, such surveys may reduce the overall investigation costs by reducing the number of boreholes required to characterize the subsurface. KW - Alaska KW - Arctic Regions KW - Boreholes KW - Data collection KW - Electrical resistivity KW - Geophysical prospecting KW - Geotechnical engineering KW - Ground penetrating radar KW - Permafrost KW - Transportation planning UR - http://tundra.ine.uaf.edu/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/AUTC-Geophysics-Final-Report-7-18-14-Corrected_fp_wes2.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1332725 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01544653 AU - Sharif, Hamid AU - Hempel, Michael AU - Mid-America Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Study of a Distributed Wireless Multi-Sensory Train Approach Detection and Warning System for Improving the Safety of Railroad Workers PY - 2014/07//Final Report SP - 147p AB - Safety is a key concern for the North American railroad industry, particularly for their employees. However, in one particular area there is an identified urgent need for a novel solution that helps protect them better than the current approach: track worker safety. Railroad employees and contractors are required to work on or near tracks. To prevent accidents, railroad personnel are tasked with acting as lookouts for oncoming trains. This is a tedious task and prone to failure, and statistics by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) published in 49 CFR 214 in 2008 indicate that the rate of accidents is in fact increasing! Current commercially available solutions to this problem are infeasible for adequately addressing this need. The authors have shown this as part of the research reported in this report, and attributed it to two primary factors: the reliance on single-detector approaches which are shown to be unreliable, and the need of most systems for destructive and semi-permanent installation methods to attach these systems to the railroad tracks. The solution developed is built around a novel multi-sensory detection approach, where the benefits of each sensing method is leveraged and the drawbacks are resolved. The authors have shown that this method is highly reliable, with zero missed trains, and also detailed how the system achieves its modularity and ease of installation. The authors strongly believe that the system developed for this project can help save lives of railroad track workers and help increase operational efficiency of the railroads as well. KW - Detection and identification technologies KW - Occupational safety KW - Railroad safety KW - Sensors KW - Warning systems KW - Wireless communication systems UR - http://matc.unl.edu/assets/documents/matcfinal/Sharif_StudyofaDistributedWirelessMulti-SensoryTrainApproachDetectionandWarningSystemforImprovingtheSafetyofRailroadWorkers.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1331086 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01544612 AU - Rahmatalla, Salam AU - Schallhorn, Charles AU - Mid-America Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Diagnosis of Retrofit Fatigue Crack Re-initiation and Growth in Steel-Girder Bridges for Proactive Repair and Emergency Planning PY - 2014/07//Final Report SP - 47p AB - This report presents a vibration-based damage-detection methodology that is capable of effectively capturing crack growth near connections and crack re-initiation of retrofitted connections. The proposed damage detection algorithm was tested using numerical simulation and laboratory experimentation. Finite element models of the initial and retrofitted connections were developed to investigate the effect of crack growth before and after circular holes were implemented as stress relief measures. Laboratory experimentation on retrofitted specimens showed a tendency for the crack to branch in different directions in lieu of re-initiating through the holes. Throughout both the numerical and laboratory analyses, the results were able to successfully detect damage by calculating a damage indicator, as specified within the algorithm. Although it was beyond the initial scope of the presented work, it was observed that the damage indicator also provides a relative quantification of the damage severity, i.e., as damage increased in the specimen, the magnitude of the damage indicator increased monotonically. KW - Algorithms KW - Fatigue cracking KW - Finite element method KW - Holes KW - Laboratory tests KW - Methodology KW - Retrofitting KW - Steel bridges KW - Vibration UR - http://matc.unl.edu/assets/documents/matcfinal/Rahmatalla_DiagnosisandPrognosisofRetrofitFatigueCrackReinitiationandGrowthinSteel-girderBridgesforProactiveRepairandEmergencyPlanning.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1331077 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01544568 AU - Matsuo, Miwa AU - Mid-America Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Mobility and Accessibility of Hispanics in Small Towns and Rural Areas PY - 2014/07//Final Report SP - 62p AB - The Hispanic population has increased 43% (from 35.3 million to 50.5 million) in the 2000s in the U.S. Small towns and rural areas in the U.S. are among the areas that have experienced rapid growth in the Hispanic immigrant population in the last decade. This paper aims to understand whether Hispanics have the same mobility as other race/ethnicity groups, particularly when they are immigrants and/or live in rural areas. In addition, the author examines the mobility experience of more recent Hispanic immigrants, as well as Hispanic females in general. Using the National Household Travel Survey (NHTS) data for 2009, this paper investigates the following aspects of mobility for the study population: (1) vehicle availability, (2) driving mileage, and (3) native/immigrant and gender disparity in mobility. Compared to other populations, Hispanics generally face different mobility challenges; they rely on private vehicles but do not own many vehicles and share rides. In addition, recent immigrants and females are having more difficulties within the Hispanic immigrant population, whether in rural or urban areas. Despite the mobility limitation suggested by the data, public transit ridership by rural Hispanics is known to be lower than that of rural non-Hispanic minorities. A possible explanation for this disparity is that Hispanics may face language barriers in using public transit systems. The findings also suggest that rural Hispanics, especially immigrants, need more support to satisfy their accessibility needs. KW - Accessibility KW - Automobile ownership KW - Gender KW - Hispanics KW - Immigrants KW - Mobility KW - National Household Travel Survey KW - Public transit KW - Rural areas UR - http://matc.unl.edu/assets/documents/matcfinal/Matsuo_MobilityandAccessibilityofHispanicsinSmallTownandRuralAreas.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1331081 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01544564 AU - Chen, G D AU - Wu, C L AU - Mid-America Transportation Center AU - Missouri University of Science and Technology, Rolla AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Splice Performance Evaluation of Enamel-Coated Rebar for Structural Safety PY - 2014/07//Final Report SP - 39p AB - This report summarizes the findings and results from an experimental study of vitreous enamel coating effects on the bond strength between deformed rebar and normal strength concrete. A total of 24 beam splice specimens were tested under four-point loading with four parameters investigated: bar size, lap splice length, coating, and confinement conditions. As the splice length increases, the ratio of bond strength between coated rebar and black rebar first increases from 1.0 to a maximum value of 1.44, and then decreases to 1.0. The maximum bond strength ratio corresponds to the near initial yielding of coated rebar. On the average, enamel coating can increase the bond strength of steel rebar in concrete by approximately 15%. A coating factor of 0.85 is thus recommended to take into account the enamel coating effect in lap splice designs, according to American Concrete Institute (ACI) and American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) bond strength equations. KW - Bond strength (Materials) KW - Coatings KW - Enamels KW - Reinforced concrete KW - Reinforcing bars KW - Splicing KW - Structural analysis UR - http://matc.unl.edu/assets/documents/matcfinal/Chen_SplicePerformanceEvaluationofEnamel-CoatedRebarforStructuralSafety.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1331075 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01544532 AU - Mordkoff, J Toby AU - Chrysler, Susan AU - Mid-America Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Distracted Driving due to Visual Working Memory Load PY - 2014/07//Final Report SP - 20p AB - In an attempt to understand the specific mechanism by which distractions (such as cell-phone use) can interfere with driving, this work tested the idea that driving performance depends on available space within visual short-term memory. Across trials, different amounts of available visual memory were created by the use of a concurrent visual change-detection task. The results showed the typical decrease in memory performance with higher memory loads, but no significant change in driving performance, other than an overall, non-specific, dual-task deficit. These findings suggest that driving does not depend on the fixed-capacity memory system that is assessed by standard, visual short-term memory tasks. KW - Distraction KW - Driver performance KW - Memory KW - Traffic safety KW - Visual perception UR - http://matc.unl.edu/assets/documents/matcfinal/Mordkoff_DistractedDrivingduetoVisualWorkingMemoryLoad.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1331079 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01541518 AU - McNeil, Sue AU - Atique, Farzana AU - Yin, Hong AU - Burke, Ryan AU - Adu-Gyamfi, Yaw AU - University of Delaware, Newark AU - University of Delaware, Newark AU - Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Better State-of-Good-Repair Indicators for the Transportation Performance Index PY - 2014/07//Final Report SP - 47p AB - The Transportation Performance Index was developed for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce to track the performance of transportation infrastructure over time and explore the connection between economic health and infrastructure performance. This project revisits performance indicators related to state of good repair and safety, and their relative weights to be sure that state of good repair is adequately captured in the transportation performance index (TPI). This includes evaluating the TPI for 2010 and 2011 and understanding the relationship among the estimates, as well as the relationship with economic health. Based on this analysis the authors concluded that the original data, methods and weights are robust and therefore would not be enhanced by changes at this time. However, the importance of good data and future improvements are emphasized. Modest improvements in the TPI over the last five years come from reductions in both vehicle miles of travel and ton miles of travel, and significant strategic investment focused on state of good repair, intermodal connectivity, mobility and accessibility. Case studies focusing on both prospective and retrospective scenarios to better understand the TPI reinforce the need for comprehensive investments across all modes and holistic policies that focus on all modes and all regions. KW - Case studies KW - Condition surveys KW - Economic analysis KW - Economic indicators KW - Estimating KW - Infrastructure KW - Performance measurement KW - Transportation Performance Index KW - Transportation safety KW - United States UR - https://cait.rutgers.edu/files/CAIT-UTC-008-final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1325170 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01541484 AU - Adu-Gyamfi, Yaw Okyere AU - Attoh-Okine, Nii AU - University of Delaware, Newark AU - Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation AU - Virginia Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Multi-resolution Information Mining and a Computer Vision Approach to Pavement Condition Distress Analysis PY - 2014/07//Final Report SP - 153p AB - Pavement Condition surveys are carried out periodically to gather information on pavement distresses that will guide decision-making for maintenance and preservation. Traditional methods involve manual pavement inspections which are time-consuming and subjective. In recent times, there has been a move towards automated methods of pavement condition assessment. The automated methods which comprise of acquiring pavement data with cameras and analyzing the images have several shortcomings, especially in the area of image analysis. A major problem is that most of the image processing algorithms are based on assumptions that may not work well under certain conditions. Therefore, there is a need for adaptive image processing methods that are robust under varying conditions. This study focused on the use of multi-resolution information-mining techniques with a computer vision approach to analyze pavement conditions. A vision-system which seeks to fully-automate the pavement condition survey process is also developed. With a user-friendly interface, geographic information system (GIS) integration and a vision system comprised of three main components; image acquisition, image retrieval and the output analysis and visualization component, this system will serve as the foundation for the future of fully-automated pavement distress surveys. KW - Automatic data collection systems KW - Computer vision KW - Condition surveys KW - Data mining KW - Geographic information systems KW - Image analysis KW - Image processing KW - Pavement distress KW - Pavement maintenance UR - https://cait.rutgers.edu/files/CAIT-UTC-009-final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1325169 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01541436 AU - Zeng, Yun AU - Cook, Pam AU - Attoh-Okine, Nii AU - University of Delaware, Newark AU - University of Delaware, Newark AU - Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Delaware Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Mathematical and Experimental Investigations of Modeling, Simulation and Experiment to Promote the Life-Cycle of Polymer Modified Asphalt PY - 2014/07//Final Report SP - 16p AB - The formulation of constitutive equations for asphaltic pavement is based on rheological models which include the asphalt mixture, additives, and the bitumen. In terms of the asphalt, the rheology addresses the flow and permanent deformation in time, under different temperatures, and under different loading conditions. Currently, there are various laboratory methods used to determine the rheological parameters of the asphalt. Unfortunately, most of these tests are conducted in the linear viscoelastic region, therefore the true picture of asphalt during in-service has not been fully investigated. Furthermore there are quite few polymer-modified asphalts that have been used. The mathematical models needed to formulate and model these materials are limited. This study attempts to develop a mathematical approach to the modeling of polymer modified asphalt which is applicable in pavement design. KW - Asphalt mixtures KW - Flow measurement KW - Mathematical models KW - Pavement design KW - Polymer asphalt KW - Rheological properties KW - Rheology KW - Simulation UR - https://cait.rutgers.edu/files/CAIT-UTC-010-final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1325171 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01539566 AU - Teng, Hualiang (Harry) AU - Toughrai, Tarik AU - Yu, Tingting AU - OZawa, Russell AU - Hu, Bingyi AU - Mineta National Transit Research Consortium AU - San Jose State University AU - University of Nevada, Las Vegas AU - California Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Developing Seamless Connections in the Urban Transit Networks: A Look Toward High-Speed Rail Interconnectivity PY - 2014/07//Final Report SP - 100p AB - The objective of this study was to quantify multimodal connectivity of high speed rail (HSR) stations and its impact on ridership in four countries where HSR has been established. Data were collected from HSR systems of France, Spain, Japan and China. Various characteristics of the connecting modes were observed and compared. The relationship between ridership and the characteristics of multimodal connectivity was identified using regression models developed in this study. Multimodal connectivity at HSR stations in various countries presents a variety of profiles. For example, HSR stations in China connect with more bus lines than those in other countries, there are more bus stops/terminals provided in France, and transfer times in Japan and China are significantly longer than those in France and Spain. The connectivity variables influence ridership in various ways. On the whole, bus, subway, and regional railroad service influence ridership significantly. For instance, the more bus services connected to the station, the higher the ridership. Subway, light rail, and traditional rail are modes of high-capacity transportation and their connection to HSR stations always implies high ridership for high-speed rail. Also, the more bus and subway stops, and the more bicycle parking and taxi stands, the higher the ridership. Transfer time also has a significant influence. These findings have important implications for the proposed California and Nevada HSR stations. The unique needs of visitors to Las Vegas and their implications for HSR design also are discussed. KW - China KW - Connectivity KW - France KW - High speed rail KW - Japan KW - Multimodal transportation KW - Public transit KW - Rail transit stations KW - Regression analysis KW - Ridership KW - Spain UR - http://transweb.sjsu.edu/PDFs/research/1148-high-speed-rail-urban-transit-interconnectivity.pdf UR - https://merritt.cdlib.org/d/ark%3A%2F13030%2Fm52z2knz/1/producer%2F883915978.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/52000/52100/52168/1148-high-speed-rail-urban-transit-interconnectivity.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1322956 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01539307 AU - Gonzales, Eric J AU - Yang, Ci AU - Morgul, Ender Faruk AU - Ozbay, Kaan AU - Mineta National Transit Research Consortium AU - Rutgers University, New Brunswick AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Modeling Taxi Demand with GPS Data from Taxis and Transit PY - 2014/07//Final Report AB - This study used a large set of global positioning system (GPS) data from taxis in New York City, along with demographic, socioeconomic, and employment data to identify the factors that drive taxi demand. A technique was developed to measure and map transit accessibility based on the time required to access a transit vehicle from a specific location and time of day. Taxi data were categorized by pickups and drop-offs, and a hybrid cross-classification and regression model was developed to estimate the taxi demand across space and time. The study identified transit accessibility, population, age, education, income, and the number of jobs in each census tract as the factors with strongest explanatory power for predicting taxi demand. The study also includes a comparison of the cost of travel by taxi and transit for specific trips between Penn Station and each of the three major New York area airports. The model and analysis results show how the number of passengers traveling together in a group and the value they place on their time affect the likelihood of choosing taxi or transit for an airport access trip. A number of findings are presented in this report that are specific to New York City. However, the methods developed in this study and demonstrated in this report can be applied generally to cities around the United States and the world where similar GPS data from taxis and schedule information from transit are available. KW - Accessibility KW - Airport ground transportation KW - Choice models KW - Demand KW - Demographics KW - Global Positioning System KW - Level of service KW - New York (New York) KW - Public transit KW - Socioeconomic factors KW - Taxi services KW - Travel costs KW - Travel time KW - Trip generation UR - http://transweb.sjsu.edu/PDFs/research/1141-modeling-taxi-demand-gps-transit-data.pdf UR - https://merritt.cdlib.org/d/ark%3A%2F13030%2Fm5w96q9j/1/producer%2F886437455.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1317292 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01539257 AU - Ozbay, Kaan AU - Morgul, Ender Faruk AU - Mineta National Transit Research Consortium AU - Rutgers University, New Brunswick AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Understanding and Modeling Bus Transit Driver Availability PY - 2014/07//Final Report SP - 57p AB - Two mathematical programming models with probabilistic constraints are developed to determine daily optimal back-up, or extraboard, size for bus transit (driver availability and deployment) while incorporating reliability and risk measures in the decision making process. Two distinct solution approaches are proposed. The first approach uses p-level efficient point (pLEPs) as the solution methodology and the second approach uses second order stochastic dominance constraints. The models were tested using long-term data obtained from three Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District of Oregon (TriMet) garage. The individual performance of both models under different cost assumptions is evaluated and actual historical assignments are compared with the optimal solutions obtained from these models. The results reveal possible improvements of extra driver size for one of the three garages studied. These models can be easily used in a computerized environment to assist agencies in efficient decision-making, which is also illustrated using a simulation procedure developed for comparison with observed driver assignment data. KW - Absenteeism KW - Bus drivers KW - Bus transit operations KW - Externalities KW - Operating costs KW - Optimization KW - Reliability (Statistics) KW - Risk assessment KW - Scheduling KW - Stochastic programming KW - Testing UR - http://transweb.sjsu.edu/PDFs/research/1140-bus-transit-driver-availability.pdf UR - https://merritt.cdlib.org/d/ark%3A%2F13030%2Fm51276rc/1/producer%2F887886199.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1319584 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01538553 AU - Elefteriadou, Lily AU - Kondyli, Alexandra AU - St. George, Bryan AU - University of Florida, Gainesville AU - Florida Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Comparison of Methods for Measuring Travel Time at Florida Freeways and Arterials PY - 2014/07//Final Report SP - 90p AB - Travel time is an important performance measure used to assess the traffic operational quality of various types of highway facilities. Previous research funded by the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) on travel time reliability developed, implemented, and evaluated tools for estimating travel time reliability for freeways and arterials. These efforts also compared the model-estimated travel times to field-measured travel times using various sources of data. Given the variety and diversity of travel time measurement methods, it is important to evaluate the accuracy of the data obtained by each of them and to develop recommendations regarding their suitability in the validation of travel time estimation models as well as in the development of real-time travel time reliability metrics. The main objective of this research was to collect field data along several freeways and arterials and to evaluate the travel time measurements obtained by STEWARD, INRIX, BlueTOAD, and HERE. The research team collected data with the use of an instrumented vehicle on five freeway segments and two arterial segments in Florida. The field-measured travel times were statistically compared with the travel times provided through the methods listed above. The results of the statistical comparison suggest that the HERE traffic data provide better freeway travel time estimates, compared to the remaining methods. HERE traffic is more accurate for oversaturated conditions. On the other hand, when analyzing uncongested freeway segments, STEWARD, INRIX, and BlueTOAD performed better than HERE traffic. Lastly, analysis at the arterial sites suggested that none of the methods was accurate, although the sample size was relatively small, especially during the oversaturated runs. KW - Arterial highways KW - Florida KW - Freeways KW - Traffic data KW - Traffic measurement KW - Travel time UR - http://www.fdot.gov/research/Completed_Proj/Summary_PL/FDOT-BDV32-977-02-rpt.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1322284 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01538328 AU - Luna, Ronaldo AU - He, Xiaoming AU - Deng, Mingyan AU - Center for Transportation Infrastructure and Safety/NUTC program AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Reliability-Based Optimization Design of Geosynthetic Reinforced Road Embankment PY - 2014/07//Final Report SP - 46p AB - Road embankments are typically large earth structures, the construction of which requires large amounts of competent fill soil. In order to limit costs, the utilization of geosynthetics in road embankments allows for construction of steep slopes up to 80⁰ - 85⁰ from horizontal, which can save considerable amounts of fill soil in the embankment and usable land at the toe, compared to a traditional unreinforced slope. It then requires for a stability analysis of the geosynthetic-reinforced slope, which is highly dependent on the selection and properties of geosynthetic including tensile strength, transfer efficiency, length and the number of geosynthetic layers placed in embankment, etc. To minimize costs, an optimization design is necessary to select an ideal combination of those design parameters. In this study, reliability-based optimization (RBO) will be implemented on the basis of reliability-based probabilistic slope stability analysis considering the variability of soil properties. RBO intends to minimize the cost involved in geosynthetic reinforced road embankment design while satisfying technical requirements. The limit equilibrium method was embedded to compute the factor of safety (fs), meanwhile, the most-probable-point (MPP)-based first-order reliability method (FORM) was conducted to determine the probability of failure (pf). The cost is assumed as a function of design parameters: the number of geosynthetic layers, embedment length, and tensile strength of the geosynthetic. Coupling with the reliability assessment and some other technical constraints, the combination of design parameters can be optimized to minimize cost. KW - Costs KW - Design KW - Embankments KW - Geosynthetics KW - Optimization KW - Probability KW - Slope stability UR - http://transportation.mst.edu/media/research/transportation/documents/R353%20Final%20Report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1322486 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01538188 AU - Kinzel, Edward C AU - Donnell, Kristen M AU - Chandrashekhara, K AU - Center for Transportation Infrastructure and Safety/NUTC program AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Structural Health Monitoring and Remote Sensing of Transportation Infrastructure Using Embedded Frequency Selective Surfaces PY - 2014/07//Final Report SP - 22p AB - The objective of this project was to investigate the use of Frequency Selective Surfaces (FSS) for structural health monitoring applications. Frequency Selective Surfaces (FSS) have long been used in the radio frequency (RF)/microwave community to control scattering from surfaces. In this application, the scattering parameters of the FSS form a signature which is a function of the frequency, element size and spacing, as well as the local electromagnetic environment. These attributes can be related to engineering parameters of a transportation structure such as strain, temperature, moisture, and damage such as cracking or delamination. A key advantage of the FSS approach over other wireless sensors is that the FSS is completely passive, consisting only of conductive elements. This eliminates considerations related to integrating power/energy storage, as well as simplifying fabrication. KW - Infrastructure KW - Microwaves KW - Radio frequency KW - Remote sensing KW - Strain (Mechanics) KW - Structural health monitoring UR - http://transportation.mst.edu/media/research/transportation/documents/R365%20Final%20Report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1322475 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01537872 AU - Strawderman, Lesley AU - Mississippi State University, Mississippi State AU - Southeastern Transportation Research, Innovation, Development and Education Center (STRIDE) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Engaging Engineering Students with Transportation Safety: An Educational Module PY - 2014/07//Final Report SP - 19p AB - In this paper, the author introduces a newly created education module in transportation safety. The module is aimed at undergraduate engineering students, whose exposure to this topic is extremely limited, if they are exposed at all. Topics in the module include driver speed compliance, distracted driving, pedestrian safety, and vulnerable road users (VRUs) with an emphasis on young drivers. The module incorporates a number of items, including lecture material (both instructor and student versions), in-class activity, and laboratory exercises. The learning module is intended to supplement existing courses in engineering curricula. The goal of this learning module is to provide industrial engineering students with current research and knowledge in transportation safety. The module was recently piloted in an undergraduate Industrial Ergonomics course. Results regarding the effectiveness of the module, as well as results on the student attainment of educational objectives, are discussed. Finally, suggestions for the modification and inclusion of the material in various industrial engineering courses are presented. KW - College students KW - Compliance KW - Distraction KW - Education KW - Highway safety KW - Industrial engineering KW - Pedestrian safety KW - Speed limits KW - Teenage drivers KW - Vulnerable road users UR - http://stride.ce.ufl.edu/uploads/docs/strawderman_2012-085S_final_report.pdf UR - http://www.stride.ce.ufl.edu/uploads/docs/strawderman_2012-085S_final_report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1323296 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01537445 AU - Volz, Jeffery S AU - Khayat, Kamal H AU - Arezoumandi, Mahdi AU - Drury, Jonathan AU - Sadati, Seyedhamed AU - Smith, Adam AU - Steele, Amanda AU - Center for Transportation Infrastructure and Safety/NUTC program AU - Missouri Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Recycled Concrete Aggregate (RCA) for Infrastructure Elements PY - 2014/07//Final Report SP - 488p AB - With a growing demand for new construction and the need to replace infrastructure stretched beyond its service life, society faces the problem of an ever-growing production of construction and demolition waste. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) estimates that two billion tons of new aggregate are produced each year in the United States. This demand is anticipated to increase to two and a half billion tons each year by 2020. With such a high demand for new aggregates, the concern arises of the depletion of current sources of natural aggregates and the availability of new sources. Similarly, construction waste produced in the United States is expected to increase. From building demolition alone, the annual production of construction waste is estimated to be 123 million tons (FHWA). Currently, this waste is most commonly disposed of in landfills. To address both the concern of increasing demand for new aggregates and increasing production of waste, many states have begun to recognize that a more sustainable solution exists in recycling waste concrete for use as aggregate in new concrete, or recycled concrete aggregate (RCA). This solution helps address the question of how to sustain modern construction demands for aggregates as well as helps to reduce the amount of waste that enters already over-burdened landfills. Many states have begun to implement RCA in some ways in new construction. For instance, forty-one states have recognized the many uses of RCA as a raw material, such as for rip-rap, soil stabilization, pipe bedding, and even landscape materials. Thirty-eight states have gone a step further in integrating RCA into roadway systems for use as aggregate course base material. However, only eleven states have begun using RCA in Portland cement concrete for pavement construction. Furthermore, at the start of this research project, there were no acceptable standards or guidelines in the U.S. for utilizing RCA in structural concrete. The objective of this research was to determine the implications of using RCA in the production of new concrete. Specifically, the study evaluated the fresh and hardened properties, durability, and structural behavior of concrete containing RCA and, based on these results, developed guidelines on its use in infrastructure elements for the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT). KW - Concrete KW - Construction and demolition waste material KW - Durability KW - Guidelines KW - Infrastructure KW - Missouri KW - Properties of materials KW - Recycled concrete aggregate KW - Sustainable development UR - http://transportation.mst.edu/media/research/transportation/documents/R312%20Final%20Report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1321490 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01537441 AU - Yang, Yang AU - Sneed, Lesley H AU - Saiidi, Mehdi Saiid AU - Belarbi, Abdeldjelil AU - Center for Transportation Infrastructure and Safety/NUTC program AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Repair of Earthquake-Damaged Bridge Columns with Interlocking Spirals and Fractured Bars PY - 2014/07//Final Report SP - 212p AB - During earthquakes, reinforced concrete (RC) bridge columns may experience different levels of damage such as cracking, spalling, or crushing of concrete and yielding, buckling, or fracture of reinforcing bars. Although several repair options exist for columns with slight to moderate levels of damage, limited research has been reported in the literature for columns with fractured longitudinal reinforcing bars. A method that has shown success in restoring the strength and ductility to RC columns with fractured and/or buckled bars involves replacement of damaged longitudinal bars, reinstallation of transverse reinforcing bars, and restoring confinement using an external jacket. In some cases however, such as with seismically-designed RC columns with spiral reinforcement, it may not be possible to reinstall the internal transverse reinforcement. Thus alternative methods are needed to restore the performance of damaged RC columns with fractured bars to a desired state. The objective of this study was to develop methods to restore both the load and deformation capacity of earthquake-damaged bridge columns with interlocking spirals and buckled and/or fractured longitudinal reinforcement. The first repair method investigated was considered a permanent repair that involved replacement of the plastic hinge region by removal of spirals, replacement of longitudinal bar segments by mechanically splicing new bar segments attached with mechanical couplers, replacement of concrete, and installation of an externally bonded carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) jacket. The second method was considered an emergency repair that involved removal of damaged concrete, bonding and embedding CFRP strips for flexural reinforcement, building a jacket from a prefabricated thin CFRP laminate, and repair of the footing with CFRP fabric. The repair methods were evaluated by large-scale component tests on RC column specimens subjected to slow cyclic loading resulting in combined bending, shear, and torsion. Test results showed that the repair methods developed in this study are capable of restoring the seismic performance of the repaired columns to that of the undamaged columns in terms of lateral load and deformation capacity, as well as torsional load and twist capacity. However, both repair methods resulted in lower lateral and torsional stiffness as well as lower energy dissipation capacity; thus, the influence of the repair methods on the seismic response of bridges repaired with these methods is in need of further research. KW - Bridges KW - Carbon fibers KW - Columns KW - Cracking KW - Damage (Bridges) KW - Earthquake resistant design KW - Earthquakes KW - Fiber reinforced polymers KW - Jacketing (Strengthening) KW - Reinforced concrete KW - Reinforcing bars KW - Repairing KW - Spiral reinforcement UR - http://transportation.mst.edu/media/research/transportation/documents/R298%20Final%20Report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1321488 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01537436 AU - Porterfield, Krista Beth AU - Volz, Jeffery S AU - Myers, John J AU - Sneed, Lesley AU - Center for Transportation Infrastructure and Safety/NUTC program AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Bond, Transfer Length, and Development Length of Prestressing Strand in Self-Consolidating Concrete PY - 2014/07//Final Report SP - 286p AB - Due to its economic advantages, the use of self-consolidating concrete (SCC) has increased rapidly in recent years. However, because SCC mixes typically have decreased amounts of coarse aggregate and high amounts of admixtures, industry members have expressed concerns that the bond of prestressing strand in SCC may be compromised. While the bond performance of prestressing strand in a new material such as SCC is an important topic requiring investigation, the results are only applicable if the research is completed on strands with similar bond quality as the strands used in the field. Therefore, the objectives of this research program were to investigate the transfer and development lengths of prestressing strand in SCC and also evaluate the effectiveness of two proposed bond tests in determining acceptable bond quality of strand. Transfer and development lengths of 0.5-in. diameter (12.5 mm), Grade 270 prestressing strand were evaluated using rectangular beams constructed from normal and high strength conventional concrete and SCC mixes. End slips at release and strain readings over 28 days were used to calculate transfer lengths, and development lengths were evaluated through four-point loading at varying embedment lengths. Additionally, the North American Strand Producers (NASP) bond test and Large Block Pullout Tests (LBPT) were evaluated with strand from three different sources to determine if one test could be considered more reliable at predicting acceptable bond. Results indicated that bond performance of SCC and conventional concrete were comparable, and that AASHTO and ACI equations for transfer and development length were generally conservative. The NASP bond test and LBPT were found to be equally valid, but the acceptance limits for both tests appear to require revisions. KW - Bond strength (Materials) KW - Bond tests KW - Development length (Reinforcement) KW - Prestressed concrete bridges KW - Prestressing strands KW - Pullout tests KW - Self compacting concrete KW - Transfer length UR - http://transportation.mst.edu/media/research/transportation/documents/R277%20and%20R319%20Final%20Report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1321489 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01537424 AU - Khayat, Kamal H AU - Center for Transportation Infrastructure and Safety/NUTC program AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Acquisition of Specialized Testing Equipment for Advanced Cement-Based Materials PY - 2014/07//Final Report SP - 28p AB - This equipment purchase will enable the development, manufacturing, and implementation of advanced and sustainable materials for transportation infrastructure, with emphasis on concrete. The developments of “green” technologies that can lead to cost savings are of prime interest. This included projects dealing with the performance of self-consolidating concrete (SCC) in cast-in-place bridge superstructure and substructure elements, use of high volume fly ash concrete (HVFAC) in infrastructure applications, the performance of roller compacted concrete (RCC) for rigid concrete pavement for highways, rural roads, and airfield pavements, as well as the feasibility of using high contents of reclaimed asphalt pavement and reclaimed asphalt roofing shingles in flexible pavement mixtures. The common denominator of these technologies is savings of construction duration and cost and reduction in the carbon footprint of construction materials and activities. KW - High volume fly ash concrete KW - Materials tests KW - Reclaimed asphalt pavements KW - Roller compacted concrete KW - Self compacting concrete KW - Shingles KW - Testing equipment UR - http://transportation.mst.edu/media/research/transportation/documents/RE299%20Final%20Report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1321497 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01537423 AU - Sneed, Lesley H AU - D’Antino, Tommaso AU - Carloni, Christian AU - Center for Transportation Infrastructure and Safety/NUTC program AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Experimental Investigation of FRCM/Concrete Interfacial Debonding PY - 2014/07//Final Report SP - 22p AB - This report presents the results of an experimental study conducted to understand the stress-transfer mechanism of fiber reinforced concrete matrix (FRCM) composites externally bonded to a concrete substrate for strengthening applications. The FRCM composite was comprised of a polyparaphenylene benzobisoxazole (PBO) fiber net and polymer-modified cement-based mortar. Direct shear tests were conducted on specimens with composite strips bonded to concrete blocks. Parameters varied were composite bonded length and bonded width. Results were analyzed to understand the effective bonded length, which can be used to establish the load-carrying capacity of the interface to design the strengthening system. The normalized load carrying-capacity was plotted against the width of the composite strip to study the width effect. Finally, strain gage measurements along the bonded length were used to investigate the stress-transfer mechanism. KW - Bonding KW - Composite materials KW - Concrete structures KW - Direct shear tests KW - Fiber reinforced concrete KW - Jacketing (Strengthening) KW - Stress transfer UR - http://transportation.mst.edu/media/research/transportation/documents/R313%20Final%20Report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1321493 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01536634 AU - Breck, Andrew AU - Daddio, David AU - Deaderick, Lauren AU - Herzig, Peter AU - Lian, Scott AU - Linthicum, Alex AU - National Park Service AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center TI - NPS National Transit Inventory, 2013 PY - 2014/07//Final Report SP - 50p AB - This document summarizes key highlights from the National Park Service (NPS) 2013 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, and other categories. Key findings include: there were 26.9 million total passenger boardings in 2013; 64% of NPS transit systems operate under concession contracts; and 60% of NPS-owned vehicles operate on alternative fuel. The inventory will be repeated annually. KW - Alternate fuels KW - Financing KW - Fuels KW - National Park Service KW - Public transit KW - Ridership KW - Statistics KW - Vehicle fleets UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/52000/52400/52470/NPS_WASO_2014_National_Transit_Inventory.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1321299 ER - TY - CONF AN - 01536623 AU - Bucci, Gregory AU - Morton, Tom AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Woodward Communications AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Cell Phone Data and Travel Behavior Research: Symposium Summary Report PY - 2014/07 SP - 30p AB - This report summarizes the key themes from a symposium held on February 12, 2014, to discuss opportunities and challenges using cellular location data for national travel behavior analysis. Participants discussed the availability of cellular data and the common types of licensing agreements; applications of cellular data and how it can be leveraged; fusion of cellular data in terms of merging it with other data sources; and validation of cellular data to determine accurate and meaningful results. Particular focal points included applications and limitations of land-use models and data, and using surveys in conjunction with cellular location data to facilitate accuracy and precision. U1 - Cell Phone Data and Travel Behavior Research SymposiumFederal Highway AdministrationTransportation Research BoardWashington,DC,United States StartDate:20140212 EndDate:20140212 Sponsors:Federal Highway Administration, Transportation Research Board KW - Cellular telephones KW - Data collection KW - Data fusion KW - Location KW - Travel behavior KW - Validation UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/advancedresearch/pubs/14060/14060.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/52000/52700/52748/14060.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1320972 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01535119 AU - Konur, Dincer AU - Campbell, James AU - Center for Transportation Infrastructure and Safety/NUTC program AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Analysis of Carbon Emission Regulations in Supply Chains with Volatile Demand PY - 2014/07//Final Report SP - 18p AB - This study analyzes an inventory control problem of a company in stochastic demand environment under carbon emissions regulations. In particular, a continuous review inventory model with multiple suppliers is investigated under carbon taxing and carbon trading regulations. The authors analyze and compare the optimal (Q;R) policies with order splitting under two ordering policies: sequential ordering and sequential delivery. The effects of regulation parameters and demand variability on costs and carbon emissions are analyzed under each policy. Furthermore, single sourcing, sequential ordering, and sequential delivery will be compared in terms of costs and carbon emissions. KW - Carbon dioxide KW - Costs KW - Freight transportation KW - Greenhouse gases KW - Inventory control KW - Policy KW - Regulations KW - Supply chain management KW - Variable demand UR - http://transportation.mst.edu/media/research/transportation/documents/R358%20-%20R359%20Final%20Report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1320883 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01535117 AU - Maerz, Norbert AU - Center for Transportation Infrastructure and Safety/NUTC program AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Modelling the Subsurface Geomorphology of an Active Landslide Using LIDAR PY - 2014/07//Final Report SP - 15p AB - The focus of this research was twofold: 1. To determine millimeter/sub-millimeter movement within a slide body using high precision terrestrial LIDAR and artificial targets - this allows movement not apparent to the naked eye to be verified; and 2. To quickly and easily determine the depth of the shear surface using high precision terrestrial LIDAR and artificial targets - this would allow rotational measurements. To do this, 5/8” steel reinforcing rods were cut in lengths of 3, 4, and 5’. These rods were driven into the ground to various depths. 4” precision Styrofoam balls were mounted onto the rods. Using LIDAR scanning, the displacement of the styrofoam balls (in successive LIDAR scans) can be measured to within 0.9 mm. This allows the sub-millimeter displacement (objective 1) to be measured. Furthermore, when two of the Styrofoam balls are placed on a rod, not only the movement, but also the rotation of the rod, and consequently the precise movement of the ground the rod is in can be measured. Figure 1 shows a 5/8” rebar with two Styrofoam balls driven into the ground. KW - Geomorphology KW - Landslides KW - Laser radar KW - Measuring methods KW - Rockfalls UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/52000/52400/52499/R331_Final_Report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1320882 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01535115 AU - Maerz, Norbert AU - Center for Transportation Infrastructure and Safety/NUTC program AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - An Investigation of Rock Fall and Pore Water Pressure Using LIDAR in Highway 63 Rock Cuts PY - 2014/07//Final Report SP - 18p AB - The purpose of this research work is compare LIDAR scanning measurements of rock fall with the natural changes in groundwater level to determining the effect of water pressures (levels) on rock fall. To collect the information of rock cut volume change, the authors chose two rock cuts in highway 63, measured the rock fall, and installed and measured water pressure in piezometers. KW - Groundwater KW - Laser radar KW - Piezometers KW - Pore water pressures KW - Rock cuts KW - Rockfalls KW - Water table UR - http://transportation.mst.edu/media/research/transportation/documents/R364%20Final%20Report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1320884 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01534853 AU - Clark, Gene AU - Knight, David AU - National Center for Freight and Infrastructure Research and Education (CFIRE) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Summit on the Beneficial Use of Dredged Materials: Turning a Surplus Material into a Commodity of Value PY - 2014/07//Final Report SP - 38p AB - Dredged material management options for commercial ports, particularly those involving permanent or long-term placement facilities, are diminishing. Many existing placement facilities serving these ports are at, or near capacity, and high costs, plus limited new site availability, make prospects for new or expanded capacity increasingly difficult. Absent new strategies for dredged material management, maintenance dredging at – and accessibility to - several major ports could be significantly impaired, with serious implications to freight movement. In the Great Lakes alone, some 175 million to 200 million tons of primarily bulk commodities – including iron ore, coal, stone, petroleum products, chemicals and grain – are moved annually on the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway system. Given the added factor that, after decades of remediation, much of the material dredged from Great Lakes harbors need no longer be managed as toxic or hazardous waste, recycling of material suitable for beneficial use has emerged as the most practical approach to sustainable dredged material management in the region. A Summit on beneficial reuse of dredged material with programmatic components including: Current technological data on the suitability of dredged material for beneficial reuse; case studies from the Great Lakes and other U.S. port ranges involving successful beneficial reuse; and relevant policy issues affecting acceptance and encouragement of beneficial reuse was held to address these issues. The target audience included port authorities, harbor commissions, coastal communities, state and local regulatory agencies, commercial shipping interests, industries served by marine transportation, dredging practitioners and other stakeholders. KW - Building materials KW - Case studies KW - Dredged materials KW - Dredging KW - Great Lakes KW - Port operations KW - Recycling KW - Waste management UR - http://www.wistrans.org/cfire/documents/FR_RI-8.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1320025 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01534710 AU - Romo, Alicia AU - Mejia, Builes AU - Yang, C Y David AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Utilizing Various Data Sources for Surface Transportation Human Factors Research: Workshop Summary Report, November 6-7, 2013 PY - 2014/07//Summary Report SP - 68p AB - The report summarizes a 2-day workshop held on November 6-7, 2013, to discuss data sources for surface transportation human factors research. The workshop was designed to assess the increasing number of different datasets and multiple ways of collecting data that can be used to increase understanding of human errors. Participants discussed how to resolve the controversies among different datasets and how to choose the best datasets for particular applications. Expert speakers shared their research experience of using various datasets from sources such as driving simulators, field studies and field operational tests, and naturalistic driving studies. The expert panel identified several potential research topics to address the challenges that must be overcome to integrate data from multiple sources. KW - Automatic data collection systems KW - Data files KW - Data integration KW - Data sources KW - Demonstration projects KW - Driving simulators KW - Field studies KW - Ground transportation KW - Human factors KW - Research KW - Workshops UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/advancedresearch/pubs/14077/14077.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/52000/52700/52749/14077.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1319869 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01531007 AU - daSilva, Marco AU - Ngamdung, Tashi AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Railroad Administration TI - Trespass Prevention Research Study – West Palm Beach, FL PY - 2014/07//Technical Report SP - 100p AB - The United States Department of Transportation’s (U.S. DOT) Research and Innovative Technology Administration’s John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center (Volpe Center), under the direction of the U.S. DOT Federal Railroad Administration’s (FRA) Office of Research and Development (R&D), conducted a Trespass Prevention Research Study (TPRS) in the city of West Palm Beach, FL. The main objective of this research was to demonstrate potential benefits, including best practices and lessons learned, of implementation and evaluation of trespass prevention strategies following FRA’s and Transport Canada’s existing trespassing prevention guidance on the rail network in West Palm Beach, FL, and all of its rights-of-way. This report documents the results of the implementation of the guidance discussed in this study. The results of the trespass prevention strategies will be analyzed to help determine areas of potential risk, develop solutions to prevent and minimize risk exposure, and implement successful countermeasures in the future. The ultimate objective of the research is to aid in the development of national recommendations or guidelines to reduce trespass-related incidents and fatalities KW - Best practices KW - Guidelines KW - Railroad safety KW - Trespassers KW - West Palm Beach (Florida) UR - http://www.fra.dot.gov/Elib/Document/3943 UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/52000/52100/52164/DOT-VNTSC-FRA-14-02.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1316998 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01530993 AU - Gabree, Scott H AU - daSilva, Marco AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Railroad Administration TI - Effect of an Active Another Train Coming Warning System on Pedestrian Behavior at a Highway-Rail Grade Crossing PY - 2014/07 SP - 33p AB - The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) was interested in evaluating a type of grade crossing safety enhancement which alerts pedestrians at the crossing to the presence of a second train. The system chosen for this analysis, known as an Another Train Coming Warning System (ATCWS), consists of signage and an accompanying aural alert which is activated by the presence of multiple trains during gate activation. The ATCWS was installed at a crossing in Garfield, NJ, to assess the impacts of such a warning system on pedestrian behaviors during gate activations with multiple trains. Pedestrian violations were therefore tracked before and after the installation of the ATCWS. No difference was found in the number of violators during a second train activation before and after the installation of the ATCWS. However, small sample sizes and extreme weather during the data collection period indicate that further testing is necessary before strong conclusions about the effects of an ATCWS can be reached. KW - At grade intersections KW - Audible pedestrian signals KW - Garfield, NJ KW - Grade crossing protection systems KW - Pedestrian safety KW - Railroad safety KW - Second train warning KW - Warning signs UR - http://www.fra.dot.gov/Elib/Document/3942 UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/52000/52100/52165/DOT-VNTSC-FRA-13-06.pdf?utm_source=GovDelivery&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=july%20newsletter UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1316999 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01530873 AU - Godavarthy, Ranjit AU - Mattson, Jeremy AU - Ndembe, Elvis AU - Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute AU - National Center for Transit Research AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Cost-Benefit Analysis of Rural and Small Urban Transit PY - 2014/07//Final Report SP - 77p AB - Transit systems in rural and small urban areas are often viewed as valuable community assets due to the increased mobility they provide to those without other means of travel. The value of those services, however, has been largely unmeasured, and there are often impacts that go unidentified. Benefits to the public transit user include lower-cost trips, new trips that are made, and relocation avoidance. The alternative means of travel for transit users, which may involve purchasing an automobile or paying for a taxi ride, are often more expensive. Many studies have documented the benefits of urban transit systems by benefit-cost analysis. However, there are fewer studies examining the benefits of transit in small urban and rural transit systems where there is a great need for transit among the public and especially among transportation-disadvantaged individuals. This study focuses on the qualitative and quantitative benefits of small urban and rural public transit systems in the United States. First, a thorough review of previous literature is presented. Then, a framework is developed which focuses on three main areas of transit benefits most relevant to rural and small urban areas: transportation cost savings, low-cost mobility benefits, and economic development impacts. Data for small urban and rural transits systems from the National Transit Database (NTD) and Rural NTD were used for calibrating the transit benefits and costs. The benefits, costs, and benefit-cost analysis results of small urban and rural transit for this study are presented nationally, regionally (Federal Transit Administration (FTA) regions), and locally (statewide). Sensitivity analysis was also conducted to illustrate how the national transit benefits and benefit-cost ratios vary with changes in key variables. With estimated benefit-cost ratios greater than 1, the results show that the benefits provided by transit services in rural and small urban areas are greater than the costs of providing those services. KW - Benefit cost analysis KW - Economic development KW - Literature reviews KW - Mobility KW - Public transit KW - Rural transit KW - Savings KW - Sensitivity analysis KW - Transportation disadvantaged persons KW - Urban transit UR - http://www.nctr.usf.edu/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/77060-NCTR-NDSU03.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1314850 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01628060 TI - Passing Zone Behavior and Sight Distance on Rural Highways AB - In 2008, more than 27 percent of fatal crashes occurred at horizontal curves. Due to the predominance of horizontal curves on typical rural roads, a higher percentage of fatal curve-related crashes occur on rural roads, particularly on two-lane roadways in rural areas; fatality rates on rural roads are typically more than twice the rate than on urban roads. Of all fatal crashes that occur on two-lane rural highways, about 20% are head on collisions with passing being the main cause of this type of crash.The Alaska Department of Transportation (AKDOT) and the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) have identified a critical need to assess the current standards for passing zone requirements on two-lane highways in the context of horizontal and vertical alignment configurations. The project will provide a better understanding of a drivers’ passing behavior under varied geometric conditions in order to evaluate how the degree and mix of curvature influence driver behavior. This project will improve upon current American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials (AASHTO) guidelines and provide departments of transportation (DOTs) with better criteria by which geometric roadway configurations can be designed and evaluated in order to improve the safety and efficiency of traffic operations. More specifically, this project seeks to improve the current standards on which the decision to provide or not provide passing zones in a particular context are made. KW - Alaska KW - Driver performance KW - Fatalities KW - Frontal crashes KW - Highway curves KW - Passing zones KW - Rural highways KW - Traffic crashes KW - Two lane highways UR - http://depts.washington.edu/pactrans/research/projects/passing-zone-behavior-and-sight-distance-on-rural-highways/ UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1458403 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01628059 TI - Supporting Four Safety Projects in Alaska AB - This project will provide funds for the Principal Investigator (PI) to attend a conference and for a graduate student to participate in four safety projects sponsored by the Alaska Department of Transportation and Physical Facilities (AKDOT&PF). The four projects are: (1) Analyzing Driver Behavior in Passing Zones with Differential Speed Limits on Two-Lane Two-Way Undivided Highways in Alaska; (2) Accident Reduction Factors Relating to Moose-Vehicle Collision Crash Types; (3) Highway Patrol Investment Levels versus Crash Outcomes; and (4) Develop Highway Safety Manual Safety Performance Function Calibration Factors for Alaska. KW - Alaska KW - Crash types KW - Highway safety KW - Moose KW - Passing zones KW - Rural highways KW - Traffic crashes KW - Two lane highways KW - Variable speed limits KW - Wildlife crossings UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1458330 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01571789 TI - Field Implementation and Testing Eco-Traffic Signal System Applications AB - The objective of this research effort is to apply earlier promising eco-traffic signal system research results that were demonstrated in simulation environments to develop a prototype for an eco-traffic signal system and to showcase how such a system can be implemented in the field using the current traffic control technology. As part of the eco-traffic signal system prototype, a secure and survivable data exchange architecture will be developed and tested to facilitate successful system implementation in the field. In addition, simulation analysis will be extended to study the effect of traffic network configuration and structure and traffic demand profiles on the eco-traffic signal system performance and benefits. The eco-traffic signal system developed as part of this project is capable of receiving connected-vehicle data (vehicle location, speed, type) using 5.9 GHz dedicated short range communication (DSRC). It also communicates with the traffic controller on a real-time basis using the National Transportation Communications for Intelligent Transportation System Protocol (NTCIP) communication protocol. The eco-traffic signal system developed in this project has several innovations. First, the system operates and achieves its potential using current traffic controller and controller cabinet technologies. Second, the system is compatible with applications within the Federal Highway Administration's (FHWA's) connected-vehicle initiative. Third, minimal hardware, in addition to traffic controllers, is required for full system implementation. Fourth, computer driven algorithms are used to implement traffic signal control decisions using connected-vehicle data. Furthermore, the proposed system architecture employs two revolutionary software design approaches: design for survivability and software performance measurement at the task level. The research should result in a highly practical set of guidelines to improve signal timing procedures and arterial operations to reduce fuel consumption and vehicular emissions. The project supports Tranlive's Goal 1: Integrate real-time data systems and advanced transportation applications to better manage congestion while minimizing environmental impacts - Strategy 1.3: Develop infrastructure control strategies for eco-traffic signal system applications. KW - Dedicated short range communications KW - Environmental impacts KW - Fuel consumption KW - Mobile communication systems KW - Pollutants KW - Real time information KW - Simulation KW - Sustainable transportation KW - Traffic signal timing KW - Traffic signals UR - http://tranliveutc.org/engr/research/niatt/tranlive/database/dtrt12gutc17-klk915 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1363398 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01537443 AU - Chen, Genda AU - Bao, Yi AU - Center for Transportation Infrastructure and Safety/NUTC program AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Development of Bridge Girder Movement Criteria for Accelerated Bridge Construction PY - 2014/06/30/Final Report SP - 101p AB - End diaphragms connect multiple girders to form a bridge superstructure system for effective resistance to earthquake loads. Concrete girder bridges that include end diaphragms consistently proved to perform well during previous earthquake events. However, whether concrete bridges without end diaphragms are definitively inadequate in seismic performance is yet to be answered. The 2010 Chile Earthquake indicated that properly designed bridge girders and their lateral movement stoppers (shear keys) may perform equally well with those with end diaphragms. In this report, a feasibility study on the design of girder bridges without end diaphragms is presented. This study is particularly significant in the context of accelerated bridge construction since concrete diaphragms are often cast in place and eliminating them can save field erection time and cost. The key to make the no-diaphragm concept work is to understand how multiple girders can work together during a transverse earthquake excitation without breaking the girders and bridge deck. Specifically, a three-dimensional finite element model of a representative concrete girder bridge with and without end diaphragms is established and analyzed to understand the effects of various design parameters (e.g. diaphragm height, diaphragm thickness, the coefficient of friction between girders and their supporting elements, the number and size of shear keys) on transverse girder movement capacity. Numerical results indicate that properly designed end diaphragms can increase the transverse capacity of a bridge by making individual girders work together but can be substituted by shear keys placed between the strengthened girders. In doing so, both transverse capacity and stiffness of the bridge superstructure can be significantly increased. Shear keys are more reliable than the friction mechanism. In particular, movable shear keys are more effective in distributing loads among multiple girders. KW - Bridge construction KW - Bridge design KW - Bridge superstructures KW - Diaphragms (Engineering) KW - Earthquake resistant design KW - End diaphragms KW - Finite element method KW - Girder bridges KW - Mathematical models KW - Shear keys UR - http://transportation.mst.edu/media/research/transportation/documents/R316%20Final%20Report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1321492 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01535795 AU - Bartlett, Joseph AU - Bowden, William B AU - University of Vermont, Burlington AU - UVM Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Impacts of Transportation Infrastructure on Stormwater and Surfaces Waters in Chittenden County, Vermont, USA PY - 2014/06/30 SP - 30p AB - Transportation infrastructure is a major source of stormwater runoff that can alter hydrology and contribute significant loading of nutrients, sediment, and other pollutants to surface waters. These increased loads can contribute to impairment of streams in developed areas and ultimately to Lake Champlain. In this study the authors selected six watersheds that represent a range of road types (gravel and paved) and road densities (rural, suburban, and urban) present in Chittenden County, one of the most developed areas in Vermont. The location and density of road networks were characterized and quantified for each watershed using geographic information system (GIS) analysis. Monitoring stations in each watershed were constructed and instrumented to measure discharge and water quality parameters continuously from spring through early winter. Storm event composite samples and monthly water chemistry grab samples were collected and analyzed for total nutrients, chloride, and total suspended sediments. Results from this study show that road type and road density are closely linked with the level of impairment in each watershed. Total phosphorus and total nitrogen from storm event composite samples and monthly grab samples significantly increased along a gradient of increasing road network density. Chloride concentrations increased several orders of magnitude along this same gradient. With the exception of Alder brook where total suspended sediment (TSS) concentrations tended to be high, there were no significant differences in TSS concentrations between rural and developed watersheds. The event TSS concentrations in the rural streams were slightly higher than expected and the event and base TSS concentrations in the developed streams were somewhat lower than expected, suggesting that the unpaved roads in the rural watersheds might contribute to stormwater runoff loads and that sediment control, at least, in the developed watersheds might be fairly effective. The overall results from this study show that local roads are a significant source of impairment for streams in the Chittenden County area. Most of these roads are municipal roads that are not under management of the Vermont Agency of Transportation. Thus, local actions will be necessary to control runoff from these roads. KW - Chittenden County (Vermont) KW - Chlorides KW - Nitrogen KW - Phosphorus KW - Roads KW - Runoff KW - Streams KW - Surface course (Pavements) KW - Suspended sediments KW - Water quality KW - Watersheds UR - http://transctr.w3.uvm.edu/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/UVM-TRC-14-013.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1319592 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01535711 AU - Kolodinsky, Jane AU - Lee, Brian H Y AU - Johnson, Rachel AU - Roche, Erin AU - Battista, Geoffrey AU - UVM Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Estimating the Effect of Mobility and Food Choice on Obesity PY - 2014/06/30 SP - 17p AB - Obesity in the United States is a complex, multi-dimensional problem that requires a variety of possible solutions ranging from changes in individual behaviors related to food and physical activity, changes in the food and built environment, and changes in public policy. The literature reveals a wide variety of studies ranging from the fields of medicine and nutrition to economics and public policy. Methods vary across studies, as do measurements of relevant variables. However, the literature lacks models where food choice, mobility, and obesity are simultaneously incorporated in the context of a rural environment. This report contributes to the literature by employing a social-ecological model to estimate obesity on a regional scale. The model simultaneously assesses individual relationships with food choice, active mobility, and motorized mobility amid the characteristics of their built environment. KW - Food KW - Literature reviews KW - Mobility KW - Obesity KW - Rural areas KW - United States UR - http://transctr.w3.uvm.edu/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/UVM-TRC-14-015.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1319594 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01535665 AU - Holmén, Britt A AU - UVM Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Evaluation of Transportation/Air Quality Model Improvements Based on TOTEMS On-road Driving Style and Tailpipe Emissions Data PY - 2014/06/30 SP - 41p AB - This final report summarizes two different efforts to model the real-world vehicle activity and tailpipe emissions data collected by the University of Vermont Transportation Air Quality Laboratory for two model year 2010 Toyota Camry vehicles during on-road driving in Chittenden County, Vermont. The report includes two manuscripts that were presented at the annual Transportation Research Board meetings in Washington, DC in January 2013 and January 2014: "Comparative Analysis of the EPA Operating Mode Generator with Real World Operating Mode Data" and "Calibrating a Traffic Microsimulation Model to Real-World Operating Mode Distributions" both authored by Robert Chamberlin, Britt A Holmén, Eric Talbot, and Karen Sentoff. KW - Air quality KW - Chittenden County (Vermont) KW - Driving KW - Exhaust gases KW - Microsimulation KW - Motor Vehicle Emission Simulator (MOVES) KW - Pollutants KW - Total On-Board Tailpipe Emissions Measurement System (TOTEMS) KW - Vehicle operations UR - http://www.uvm.edu/~transctr/research/trc_reports/UVM-TRC-14-012.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1319591 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01535654 AU - Belz, Nathan P AU - Aultman-Hall, Lisa AU - University of Vermont, Burlington AU - UVM Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Implementation, Driver Behavior, and Simulation: Issues Related to Roundabouts in Northern New England PY - 2014/06/30 SP - 34p AB - Roundabouts are an emerging type of intersection design and a relatively new addition to the transportation system in the United States. This imposes two traffic engineering and research related issues. First, data and research on traffic operations and driver behavior at roundabouts are limited. Although beginning to expand in recent years, the knowledge of roundabout operations has been primarily based on data collected abroad where roundabouts are more common. Moreover, capacity and operational models are inadequate since they are derived primarily from concepts of existing stop-controlled and signalized intersections. Second, some motorists are not as accustomed to the new driving patterns associated with a roundabout. This affects traffic operations, especially at newly constructed roundabouts, but can also impact public acceptance of roundabouts which may result in part from the lack of exposure and driver confusion. The research presented here can be organized into three main objectives that center on: 1) better understanding the difficulty of obtaining public approval of roundabouts in the northeastern region of the United States; 2) developing a more comprehensive typology of driving behavior and actual driver maneuvers at roundabouts based on real world data; and 3) advancing the simulation modeling of roundabouts by incorporating driver behavior that is not currently represented in existing traffic simulation models. KW - Behavior KW - Drivers KW - Implementation KW - New England KW - Public opinion KW - Roundabouts KW - Traffic simulation KW - United States UR - http://transctr.w3.uvm.edu/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/UVM-TRC-14-003.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/55000/55200/55282/UVM-TRC-14-003.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1319590 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01531525 AU - Holmén, Britt A AU - Robinson, Mitchell AU - Conger, Matthew AU - Sentoff, Karen AU - University of Vermont, Burlington AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Light-Duty Gasoline Hybrid-Electric and Conventional Vehicle Tailpipe Emissions Under Real-World Operating Conditions PY - 2014/06/30 SP - 107p AB - This report summarizes the development of an on-board tailpipe emissions measurement system developed to compare the emissions and performance of two Toyota Camry model year 2010 gasoline-powered light-duty vehicles during real-world driving in Chittenden County, Vermont over multiple seasons. One vehicle, denoted as the “conventional vehicle” or CV, had a regular transmission and drivetrain powered solely by a 4-stroke gasoline internal combustion engine (ICE). The second Camry vehicle, denoted as the “hybrid-electric vehicle” or HEV, was powered by the traditional ICE in addition to the Toyota Synergy DriveR hybrid platform. To the authors' knowledge the study is the first to compare the emissions and performance of a HEV to its conventional counterpart of the same manufacturer and model design. Thus, the emissions and performance results of this study are important to evaluating the real world, in-use benefits of this HEV technology. Gas-phase and particle number emissions as well as fuel economy performance results are presented here by vehicle specific power (VSP) and Motor Vehicle Emissions Simulator (MOVES) operating model classification schemes to enable comparison to other studies. KW - Emissions testing KW - Fuel consumption KW - Gasoline engines KW - Hybrid vehicles KW - Internal combustion engines KW - Measurement KW - Pollutants KW - Vermont UR - http://www.uvm.edu/~transctr/research/trc_reports/UVM-TRC-14-007.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1317069 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01531522 AU - Holmén, Britt A AU - Feralio, Tyler AU - Dunshee, James AU - Sentoff, Karen AU - University of Vermont, Burlington AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Tailpipe Emissions and Engine Performance of a Light-Duty Diesel Engine Operating on Petro- and Bio-diesel Fuel Blends PY - 2014/06/30 SP - 93p AB - This report summarizes the experimental apparatus developed in the Transportation Air Quality Laboratory (TAQ Lab) at the University of Vermont to compare light-duty diesel engine performance and exhaust emissions when operating on petroleum diesel (henceforth referred to as petrodiesel) and biodiesel fuel blends. This work was conducted between July 2008, when the Armfield, Ltd. Light-Duty Diesel (LDD) Engine Dynamometer Test System (Model CM-12) was received, and June 2013. The engine housed in the CM-12 unit is a Volkswagen (VW) SDi 1.9 liter industrial engine, similar to those used in on-road vehicles similar to the VW Jetta or Golf, but without a turbocharger or exhaust aftertreatment. The objective of the research was to evaluate how the alternative fuel, biodiesel, would affect emissions and engine performance (fuel economy and torque) relative to the baseline petrodiesel. In this preliminary report, the experimental apparatus is described in detail and emissions results are presented for a series of steady-state tests with petrodiesel and soybean biodiesel blends. KW - Biodiesel fuels KW - Diesel engines KW - Diesel fuels KW - Emissions testing KW - Engine performance KW - Pollutants KW - Testing equipment UR - http://www.uvm.edu/~transctr/research/trc_reports/UVM-TRC-14-008.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1317070 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01531515 AU - Holmén, Britt A AU - Kasumba, John AU - Cannata, Philip AU - University of Vermont, Burlington AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Quantifying Biodiesel Fuel Effects on Light-Duty Diesel Engine Particle Composition by GCMS PY - 2014/06/30 SP - 66p AB - This report addresses a knowledge gap in the literature on the organic chemical composition of particulate matter (PM) emitted by light-duty diesel engines operating on biodiesel fuel. Specifically, this work summarizes the development of sampling and analytical protocols to quantify a series of target analytes in PM collected from laboratory engine dynamometer experiments. The target analytes include polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), normal alkanes, fatty acid methyl esters (FAMES) and 26 polar organic compounds (POCs) that include carbonyl, aldehyde and quinone chemical classes. The target analytes were selected based on the availability of authentic chemical standards and prior research on petroleum diesel exhaust composition. Preliminary results are presented for analyses of a limited number of raw fuel and exhaust particulate matter samples collected during steady-state engine operation. The analytical method is evaluated in terms of variability among replicate analyses, blank quantitation and individual target analyte recoveries and detection limits. KW - Biodiesel fuels KW - Chemical composition KW - Diesel engine exhaust gases KW - Diesel engines KW - Dynamometers KW - Esters KW - Gas chromatography KW - Hydrocarbons KW - Mass spectrometry KW - Organic compounds KW - Particulates KW - Pollutants UR - http://www.uvm.edu/~transctr/research/trc_reports/UVM-TRC-14-009.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1317071 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01531510 AU - Watts, Richard AU - Battista, Geoff AU - University of Vermont, Burlington AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Reducing Single-Occupancy Vehicle Use in Northern New England; Unlimited Access, Employee Incentives and Ridesharing PY - 2014/06/30 SP - 21p AB - This report focuses on the approaches used by organizations promoting sustainable transportation to reduce single-occupancy vehicle use. Transportation contributes about one-third of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the U.S. and personal automobile use is the leading contributor. For example, in the journey to work, about 84% of trips in the U.S. are in automobiles, and 74% of the trips are individuals driving alone. In this research, the authors identified 120 organizations promoting sustainable transportation in Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. Participants were defined as organizations involved in sustainable transportation policy, through either having a registered lobbyist, appearing in the news media as an advocate for a policy position, having testified in the Legislature, or presenting plans that promote policies related to sustainable transportation. The organizations also had to be officially incorporated as a nonprofit, business or government agency and have an office in one of the three states. The authors asked each organization to identify successes in reducing single-occupancy vehicle use and in promoting sustainable transportation policies and programs (e.g., walking, biking, public transit). Thirty-five of those organizations responded, and the responses were parsed to identify organizational focus on reducing driving behavior. In this report survey results are presented focusing on the three most frequently mentioned programs/policies to reduce single-occupancy vehicle use—unlimited access programs, employee benefit programs and ridesharing. KW - Employee benefits KW - Free fares KW - New England KW - Organizations KW - Public transit KW - Ridesharing KW - Single occupant vehicles KW - Surveys KW - Sustainable transportation UR - http://www.uvm.edu/~transctr/research/trc_reports/UVM-TRC-13-010.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1317068 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01543179 AU - Fisher, Frances AU - Richardson, Heather AU - Yowell, Ryan AU - Grace, Nathan AU - Merrifield, Clark AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - National Park Service TI - Glacier National Park Going-to-the-Sun Road Corridor Management Plan - Existing Conditions of the Transportation System PY - 2014/06/27/Final Report SP - 92p AB - The Going-to-the-Sun Road (GTSR) Corridor has been undergoing major shifts in use due to ongoing construction, implementation of a shuttle system, and changes in visitor use patterns. Glacier National Park (GLAC) is developing the GTSR Transportation and Visitor Use Corridor Management Plan to deal with these changes and their impacts on the park's resources. This report compiles available data and reviews the existing conditions of the road to document and quantify identified issues and provide a baseline for thinking about alternative management strategies as part of the corridor management plan. Initial recommendations and gaps identified in the data are documented in Appendices A and B, respectively. KW - Glacier National Park KW - Going-to-the-Sun Road (Glacier National Park) KW - Highway corridors KW - Parking KW - Shuttle service KW - Strategic planning KW - Traffic congestion KW - Transportation management plans KW - Visitor transportation systems UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/52000/52800/52811/DOT-VNTSC-NPS-14-07.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1329312 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01552947 TI - WISDOT Crash Mapping Phase IV AB - This is the fourth phase of a Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) project to merge two geographic information system road network maps: the State Trunk Network (STN), which focuses on state, US, and interstate highways; and the Wisconsin Information System for Local Roads (WISLR), which focuses on local roads. These two systems developed fundamentally independently of each other to meet separate needs within WisDOT; however, similarities and common data exist between them. Phase I of the Crash Analysis and Mapping Project was a pilot study of the Link-Link method completed in Dane and Iowa counties, and as part of Phase II, team members expanded the Link-Link table from Phase I to all 72 counties in Wisconsin and imported their prototype crash map into the WisTransPortal Crash Data Retrieval Facility. In Phase III, the TOPS Lab enhanced the WisTransPortal MV4000 crash database and online Crash Data Retrieval Facility through added functionality, updated Link-Link tables, software and process development, user feedback, and multistate sharing and outreach. In Phase IV, this task covers maintenance of the LINK-LINK table to incorporate STN and WISLR changes for the 2013 certification period. Final LINK-LINK table revisions will be uploaded to the TOPS Lab project site and will be imported into the TOPS Lab WisTransPortal database. As part of this objective, the UA team will compare the completed 2011 LINK-LINK table to the updated 2013 STN and WISLR links to identify and document any changes in the link IDs as well as the addition or subtraction of links. Using this information along with the procedure and tools developed during Phase III and starting with the 2011 LINK-LINK table, a LINK-LINK table for 2013 will be generated. KW - Crash analysis KW - Crash data KW - Geographic information systems KW - Highways KW - Maps KW - Roads KW - Wisconsin Department of Transportation UR - http://utca.eng.ua.edu/research/projects/?id=14414 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1342925 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01555735 TI - Florida Transit Operator Trainer Training Program AB - In 2000, the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) and the Center for Urban Transportation Research (CUTR) at the University of South Florida (USF) partnered to develop the Florida Transit Operator Trainer Training Program. The program offers training courses to Florida's transit operator trainers through a voluntary state and federal certificate program. The program is overseen by the Florida Operations Network (FON) who serve in an advisory capacity. The FON meets quarterly to discuss the program's goals and accomplishments and provide direction to the project team. The FON also meets to discuss industry issues, problem-solve, network and institute positive changes in transit on a statewide level. The Florida Operations Network (FON) members are highly motivated Florida transit operations managers. This proposal outlines CUTR's effort to continue to meet the goals, missions and objectives set forth for both the training component and FON elements of the Florida Transit Operator Trainer Training Program. KW - Certification KW - Education and training personnel KW - Florida KW - Training KW - Transit operating agencies KW - Transit operators UR - http://www.nctr.usf.edu/2015/02/florida-transit-operator-trainer-training-program/ UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1344898 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01554070 TI - Toward a Policy Framework for Reduction Greenhouse Gases Emissions from the Transportation Sector AB - This white paper is concerned with a preliminary investigation of the extent to which transportation climate policy, in the United States, is cohesive and integrated. A second and more important focus of this paper is on proposing directions for a policy framework that could help support cohesiveness and integration. The transportation sector, as responsible for approximately 30 percent of the total greenhouse gases emissions, should embark on a dramatic transformation, if the United States is to steer its economy on a path to climate stabilization. Such transformation will be spearheaded by technology innovation, though societal components will also be essential. Scenario analyses have shown prospective technological pathways that could result in the needed deep emission reductions; the question ahead is about the policy frameworks and specific measures that will be needed to actually attain such reductions. KW - Climate KW - Greenhouse gases KW - Policy analysis KW - Pollutants KW - Social factors KW - Technological innovations KW - Transportation UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1344631 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01535704 AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service TI - Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge Interagency Transportation Assistance Group: Transportation Observations, Considerations and Recommendations PY - 2014/06/17 SP - 38p AB - In March 2014, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) hosted a Transportation Assistance Group at the Great Dismal Swamp in Virginia. The purpose of the meeting was to identify transportation issues impacting the refuge, ways to improve access to and within the refuge, as well as opportunities to address the issues raised and potential funding sources for their implementation. This report summarizes recommendations for coordinated local and regional planning, and implementation related to bicycle, pedestrian and transit routes connecting the local communities to the refuge. KW - Bicycling KW - Financing KW - Great Dismal Swamp KW - Pedestrians KW - Public transit KW - Recommendations KW - Regional planning KW - Transportation planning KW - Virginia UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/52000/52200/52276/GDS_TAG_Report_FINAL_2014_07_21.pdf?utm_source=GovDelivery&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=july%20newsletter UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1319589 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01530189 TI - Marine Engine Continuous Emissions Monitoring System AB - Marine vessels contribute a significant portion of total pollutant gas and particulate matter emissions near ports and waterways across the United States. As such, current International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL), United States Federal, and California Air Resources Board emissions regulations dictate engine exhaust emission limits on CO, NOx, Total Hydrocarbons (THC), and Particulate Matter (PM) with SOx controlled via fuel sulfur content limits. These regulations also dictate a tiered schedule of increasingly stringent emissions limits be met in the future. The Marine Engine Testing and Emissions Laboratory (METEL) at Maine Maritime Academy (MMA) was created to assist and address the emission reduction needs of the marine industry due to regulatory requirements. Several emissions reduction projects are underway at METEL with a Continuous Emissions Monitoring System (CEMS) under development to quantify all gas and particulate emission improvements from laboratory testing and on board vessel testing at sea. The unique requirement of continuous emissions monitoring in a harsh marine environment requires rugged equipment on board a vessel capable of withstanding shock, vibration, and corrosion. For convenience, a simple calibration procedure is required with calibration stability over time. Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy is utilized in the system as a gas emissions monitoring device. FTIR has the potential to simultaneously quantify all currently regulated emissions and more than 100 of the 189 Hazardous Air Pollutants listed in the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 [1]. As such, the versatility of FTIR spectroscopy as a single source gas emissions measurement system will be evaluated as an alternative to meet marine emissions regulations. A Condensation Particle Counter (CPC) is additionally employed as a mature technology to measure exhaust particulate matter total number concentration. Additional strategies will be evaluated for measuring particulate matter total mass and particle size. KW - Engines KW - Exhaust gases KW - Hydrocarbons KW - Maritime industry KW - MARPOL KW - Monitoring KW - Pollutants KW - Regulations KW - Ships UR - http://www.mma.edu/metel/781 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1315597 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01529445 AU - Gayah, Vikash V AU - Stieffenhofer, Krae AU - Shankar, Venky AU - Pennsylvania State University, University Park AU - Washington State Department of Transportation AU - Mid-Atlantic Universities Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - How Can We Maximize Efficiency and Increase Person Occupancy at Overcrowded Park and Rides? PY - 2014/06/16/Final Report SP - 135p AB - This study was conducted in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Transportation and Federal Highway Administration. The purpose of this project was to provide the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT), King County Metro Transit, and Sound Transit with more detailed information on the use of 17 of the busiest park and ride facilities in the Central Puget Sound Region. These park and ride lots, like a large fraction of lots across the region, are currently operating at or near capacity. The agencies would like to obtain detailed information on their use to inform potential parking management strategies in the future. In particular, the long-term objective is to eventually implement strategies to increase the number of people served by the limited parking spaces. Two empirical data collection efforts were performed. The first was an on-site audit of the existing use of 10 of the 17 facilities. The second data collection effort was a user intercept survey administered both in-person at all 17 lots and electronically to the set of registered vanpool users at these facilities and those who could not complete the survey on site. The survey collected more detailed information from individual park and ride users, including trip purpose, origin-destination information, mode of entry and exit, reasons for using park and rides, and user reactions to potential strategies that WSDOT and the other agencies are considering to help increase person efficiency of these lots. The report details a few major findings from this work. The data suggest that the following strategies might be successful at improving person efficiency at overcrowded park and ride facilities: (1) implement parking fees for single-occupant vehicles to disincentivize their use; (2) dedicate a portion of parking spaces at each lot for multi-occupant vehicle use only; (3) revise local transit service near these locations to increase the fraction of drivers that have feasible transit options to the park and rides; and (4) examine the use of parking at available lots near the park and ride facilities for overflow or single-occupant vehicle parking. KW - Origin and destination KW - Park and ride KW - Parking KW - Parking facilities KW - Parking fees KW - Puget Sound Region KW - Ridesharing KW - Surveys KW - Trip purpose UR - http://www.mautc.psu.edu/docs/PSU-2013-04.pdf UR - http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/research/reports/fullreports/830.1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1313588 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01554050 TI - Reducing Truck Emissions and Improving Truck Fuel Economy via ITS Technologies AB - Currently trucks are viewed as any other vehicle in traffic management. Trucks have different dynamics and different size and create traffic disturbances that affect other vehicles causing increased fuel consumption and pollution. The project proposes to improve our existing Port/Roadway network microscopic models in order to be able to evaluate new traffic flow and traffic light control concepts with respect to emissions and fuel economy. Some of the concepts that could be researched and evaluated include truck platooning, traffic light priority for trucks in areas of high volume of trucks, empty container reuse, ramp metering and speed limit control techniques that take into account the presence and dynamics of trucks etc. The research objective for this effort will be to develop new understanding of platooning and traffic that take into account the environmental impact of trucks interacting with other vehicles. KW - Fuel consumption KW - Intelligent transportation systems programs KW - Pollutants KW - Port operations KW - Ramp metering KW - Traffic flow KW - Traffic platooning KW - Traffic signal control systems KW - Truck traffic UR - http://ncst.ucdavis.edu/project/usc-dot-004 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1344611 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01547313 TI - University Transportation Center Stimulation Project: Investigating UW Partnerships is Sustainable Transportation AB - National Center for Freight & Infrastructure Research and Education (CFIRE) intends to further its ongoing Strategic Management Assessment by forming a short term Exploratory Collaboration with its partners. CFIRE can best position the college for novel and innovative research by leveraging University of Wisconsin, Madison expertise in disciplines substantially impacted by transportation with an overarching theme of sustainability. KW - Cooperation KW - Environmental impacts KW - Partnerships KW - Simulation KW - Strategic planning KW - Sustainable transportation KW - Transportation planning KW - Wisconsin UR - http://www.wistrans.org/cfire/research/projects/09-21/ UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1334486 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01538232 AU - Miller-Hooks, Elise AU - Faturechi, Reza AU - Feng, Lei AU - Isaac, Shabtai AU - Mid-Atlantic Universities Transportation Center AU - University of Maryland, College Park AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Multi-hazard Evacuation Route and Shelter Planning for Buildings PY - 2014/06/12/Final Report SP - 50p AB - A bi-level, two-stage, binary stochastic program with equilibrium constraints, and three variants, are presented that support the planning and design of shelters and exits, along with hallway fortification strategies and associated evacuation paths in buildings. At the upper level, decisions are made regarding exit design, hallway fortification, and the location of shelters, their size and level of protection, with the objective of minimizing the expected maximum endured risk over all scenarios. At the lower level, the choice of evacuation routes by the users, following the upper-level design decisions, is modeled as a user equilibrium problem, where each individual seeks to minimize his/her risk exposure. Model variants involve both stochastic programming and robust optimization concepts under both user equilibrium (selfish) and system optimal (altruistic) conditions. Piecewise linearization of travel time functions and a disjunctive constraints transformation method that converts the single-level equivalent math program with complementarity constraints to a mixed integer program are employed to eliminate model nonlinearities. Integer L-shaped decomposition is adopted for solution of all four variants. KW - Evacuation KW - Hazards and emergency operations KW - Mixed integer programming KW - Optimization KW - Risk KW - Routes KW - Shelters KW - Stochastic programming KW - Structures KW - Travel time UR - http://www.mautc.psu.edu/docs/UMD-2012-01.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1323100 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01535782 AU - Peckett, Haley AU - Daddio, David AU - Lyons, William AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Role of Regional Planning Organizations in Transportation Planning Across Boundaries PY - 2014/06/11/Final Report SP - 66p AB - The Volpe Center conducted research for the Federal Highway Administration Office of Planning that explores the implications of Regional Planning Organizations (RPO) engaging in transportation planning partnerships and projects of megaregions significance. The research assesses the benefits of this participation to rural areas and to their State and metropolitan partners, specifically in the areas of economic development, freight, and natural resources. Considering the limited resources of RPO staff, the research describes the institutional barriers to entry for RPOs in cross-regional transportation planning and considers partnerships that may lead to greater involvement in megaregions initiatives. Through three case studies, the paper outlines the benefits for rural areas, including economic and transportation benefits, and suggests recommendations and best practices for RPOs to consider in partnering with metropolitan planning organizations and State Departments of Transportation. The recommendations also demonstrate how transportation planning can be the mechanism to support rural participation in plans and projects at a megaregions scale bringing value to rural and urban areas alike. KW - Best practices KW - Case studies KW - Economic development KW - Freight transportation KW - Megaregions KW - Metropolitan planning organizations KW - Natural resources KW - Regional planning KW - Rural areas KW - State departments of transportation KW - Transportation planning UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/planning/megaregions/reports/regional_planning_organizations/fhwahep14043.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/52000/52100/52163/RPOsMegaregions.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/52000/52100/52163/RPOsMegaregions.pdf?utm_source=GovDelivery&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=july%20newsletter UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1319587 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01555736 TI - Statewide Transit Technical Assistance and Training Program AB - The Statewide Technical Assistance and Training Program provides training and technical assistance to Florida's public transportation community. The purpose of the program is to ensure the highest level of productivity among transit professionals, promote and encourage management and operational efficiencies, promote and ensure safety and security at Florida's transit properties, and ensure the provision of more cost-effective transit services. Courses and workshops are provided throughout the year on wide ranging topics across transit disciplines. In addition, the program is also central to the Annual Florida Public Transit Association/Florida Department of Transportation/Center for Urban Transportation Research (FPTA/FDOT/CUTR) Professional Development Workshop which is held each June in Tampa, which combines structured training courses, project/program specific presentations, panel sessions, and roundtable topic-specific discussions in the areas of marketing, planning, transit operations, and transit maintenance management. Technical assistance in the form of route restructuring, policy board assistance, automatic vehicle location/American Public Transportation Association (AVL/APTS) technology application, agency restructuring and management productivity, National Transit Database reporting, and many others, has allowed transit agencies to be more productive, ensure compliance with federal and state regulations, and be more efficient and cost-effective in the provision of transit services. KW - Cost effectiveness KW - Florida KW - Public transit KW - Security KW - Technical assistance KW - Training programs KW - Transit operating agencies KW - Transit safety UR - http://www.nctr.usf.edu/2015/02/statewide-transit-technical-assistance-and-training-program/ UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1344899 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01565272 TI - Evaluation of Public-Private Partnership Contract Types for Roadway Construction, Maintenance, Rehabilitation, and Preservation AB - At the current time, most agencies do not have a set of straightforward guidelines by which they decide whether to adopt a public-private partnership (PPP) for a given project, and if to adopt one, which type of PPP should be adopted. The proposed study intends to develop a PPP evaluation and decision support framework that New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) can use to make these decisions, such that there is maximum benefit to the agency. The study will identify and quantify various agency and user cost components, and common risks and rewards that can be expected from each PPP type or project type, and identify influential factors for each component through rigorous statistical methodologies. In the benefit-cost aspect of the framework, the allocation or responsibilities for the risks (and the beneficiary of these rewards) will be identified. This will be done for each PPP type, and for each stage of the project development process. To that end, a number of typical PPP types will be explored, such as performance-based contracting, cost-plus-time, incentives/disincentives, design-build and its derivatives, project build-operate-transfer, build-own-operate, warranties, and lane-rentals. The decision-support methodology will be based on an elaborative evaluation - through advanced statistical modeling - of the aforementioned PPP types by procurement package, in terms of cost savings, cost overrun, time delay, change orders, and safety and operations before, during, and after construction/preservation work. The cost perspective of the cost-effectiveness concept will involve life cycle cost (agency and user) analysis of different options on the basis of past data. The effectiveness' perspective of the framework will involve the extent to which specific agency goals are being achieved, for each alternative. These goals will include facility durability, frequency of maintenance, infrastructure performance, safety and operational performance of the facility, and availability of in-house expertise for operations and maintenance. The "optimal" decision will be one that is associated with the highest possible effectiveness and the least possible cost to the agency, user, or both. Application of the framework to specific commonly encountered scenarios will yield a set of decision matrices from which a simple excel-based electronic expert system will be developed. The expert system will help the agency's decision-makers select the appropriate procurement package and contract type for a given project on the basis of the project characteristics, and the possible consequences of any selection thereof. Note that NYSDOT will complement the research team's existing rich database with available information (see NYSDOT Support Letter). KW - Contract administration KW - Contracts KW - Design bid build KW - Disincentives KW - Guidelines KW - Incentives KW - Life cycle costing KW - New York State Department of Transportation KW - Public private partnerships UR - http://www.utrc2.org/research/projects/evaluation-public-private-partnership-contract-types-roadway-construction UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1355854 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01572293 TI - Effect of Plug in Hybrid Electric Vehicle Adoption on Gas Tax Revenue, Local Pollution, and Greenhouse Gas Emissions AB - As the price of natural resources and the threat of climate change continue to rise, advancements for cheaper, cleaner, and more efficient power are being made for vehicle use, leading to a wealth of different fuel and powertrain choices for advanced-technology vehicles. Potential alternative fuel pathways include biofuels, electric and hydrogen. Likewise, there are numerous platforms for alternative powertrains, e.g., all-electric, hybrid, plug-in hybrid. There have been numerous efforts by researchers to evaluate different pathways and platforms. Federal agencies have also developed useful tools, e.g., GREET and MOVES as well as databases, e.g., National Transportation Study to assist in these efforts. Various factors will affect the development of alternative fuel passenger vehicles, including technical advancements, costs of fuel sources, development of infrastructure, policy decisions, and consumer acceptance. These factors make it difficult to predict the long term future of vehicle power trains. However, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV) are well positioned to be widely adopted in the near future. They have an obvious path to market as they do not require significant infrastructure investments, will likely be cost-effective in the near term, and adoption would make meaningful greenhouse gas emission reductions. Nearly all major automobile manufacturers have either introduced PHEV, or have announced that such vehicles are under development. An EPRI study [8] evaluated potential implications of greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions, and considered low, medium and high market penetration for PHEV. The medium penetration model assumed approximately 35% PHEV by the year 2020. While these vehicles hold promise for reducing the emission of GHG, particularly in light of an electric grid that is becoming cleaner, there is also developing concern that widespread adoption of PHEV will adversely affect state gasoline tax revenues. A sound understanding of these tradeoffs is required to develop rational local policies regarding plug-in hybrid electric vehicles. KW - Air pollution KW - Alternate fuels KW - Biomass fuels KW - Electric vehicles KW - Fuel taxes KW - Greenhouse gases KW - Plug-in hybrid vehicles KW - Pollutants KW - Power trains UR - http://www.utrc2.org/research/projects/plug-in-hybrid-electric-vehicle-adoption UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1363913 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01571791 TI - Developing and Field Implementing a Dynamic Eco-Routing System AB - The objective of this research effort is to apply earlier promising research results that were demonstrated in a simulation environment to develop an in-vehicle dynamic eco-routing system to showcase how such a system can be implemented, identify the data needs for a successful system (accuracy and coverage), and communication messages needed to exchange information. Specifically, the proposed study will develop an eco-routing system that comprises of an In-vehicle eco-routing processor, a vehicle communication system, an In-vehicle eco-navigation system, and a TMC eco-routing server system. A key functional requirement of the proposed eco-routing system is the ability to display the eco-routing information that is computed by the TMC eco-routing server. The developed eco-routing system will be implemented in test vehicles for field tests in the Northern Virginia Area. In addition, the simulation analysis will be extended to study the network-wide effect of network configuration and structure, land-use, data quality, data latency, level of congestion on the system performance and the study will quantifies the system-wide impacts of implementing a dynamic eco-routing system. It is anticipated that the research will be instrumental in the successful implementation of an eco-routing system. KW - Driver information systems KW - Environmental impacts KW - Field tests KW - Land use KW - Northern Virginia KW - Sustainable transportation KW - Traffic congestion KW - Vehicle electronics UR - http://tranliveutc.org/engr/research/niatt/tranlive/database/klk900-002-001 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1363400 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01571790 TI - A Sustainable Asset Management Framework for Transportation System Management and Operation Systems AB - The objective of this study is to establish a comprehensive and sustainable asset management framework to assess the performance measures of transportation system management and operation (TSM&O) systems, using the triple bottom line (i.e. environmental, social and economic aspects) as a benchmark. TBL-based asset management framework of a TSM&O system can solve the urgent need of a decision support system that would assist transportation agencies in identifying efficient and effective sustainable TSM&O systems. KW - Asset management KW - Decision support systems KW - Economic impacts KW - Environmental impacts KW - Performance measurement KW - Social factors KW - Transportation system management UR - http://tranliveutc.org/engr/research/niatt/tranlive/database/klk900-004-sustainable UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1363399 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01569112 TI - Utilization of a Pneumatic Tube Mixing Technique for Processing and Stabilization of Contaminated Dredged Material AB - The primary goal of this research is to demonstrate the viability of a pneumatic tube mixing method for the processing and handling of contaminated navigational dredged materials from the New York/New Jersey (NY/NJ) harbor system. The AOMI/JAFEC USA Group in collaboration with Weeks Marine will implement this pilot project by dredging 13,000 cubic yards of sediment at the Construction and Marine Equipment (CME) waterfront site in Elizabeth, New Jersey, and then transporting the raw, partially de-watered dredge to the processing site in Linden, New Jersey, and then placing the amended dredge in a permitted disposal facility and or in a beneficial re-use application. The process logistics, all laboratory and field testing, along with a final technical report will be managed by the Center for Advanced Infrastructure & Transportation (CAIT). KW - Contaminants KW - Cooperation KW - Dredged materials KW - Field tests KW - Harbors KW - Laboratory tests KW - Logistics KW - New Jersey KW - New York (State) KW - Pneumatics KW - Wastes UR - http://cait.rutgers.edu/cait/research/utilization-pneumatic-tube-mixing-technique-processing-and-stabilization-contaminated- UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1359623 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01567219 TI - Development and Demonstration of Merge-Assist System Using Connected Vehicle Technology AB - The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) continues to emphasize the need for having DSRC-based vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) and/or vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) communication to enhance driver safety and traffic mobility. One potential area for improvement is around merging junctions of two roadways e.g., at a freeway entrance ramp. In order to develop automated merging or a merge-assist application, we need to reach the technological milestone of acquiring accurate relative trajectories of vehicles on the main freeway. Previously in our RSI project, we successfully acquired relative trajectories of vehicles travelling on multiple lanes toward a merging junction with an accuracy of +/- 0.5m using DSRC-based V2V communication and standard GPS receivers. Although the achieved accuracy in relative trajectory was sufficient to differentiate vehicles traveling on adjacent lanes of a multiple-lane freeway, the trajectories were not acquired in real time. Continuing the same project, the researchers are now aiming to acquire relative trajectories of vehicles in real time. The DSRC-equipped vehicles traveling on the freeway and on the merging ramp will periodically communicate important traffic parameters to each other such as their location, direction of travel, and speed. Using that information, the relative trajectories of all DSRC-equipped vehicles will be acquired and then processed in real time to filter out irrelevant vehicles e.g., vehicles on the crossing roads or on the main freeway in the opposite direction. Furthermore, using the acquired real-time trajectories, speed, and direction of travel of the relevant vehicles, a merge time cushion will be estimated which could potentially be used as an important parameter to develop a merge-assist application. KW - Dedicated short range communications KW - Intelligent vehicles KW - Merging traffic KW - Mobile communication systems KW - Traffic safety KW - Vehicle to infrastructure communications KW - Vehicle to vehicle communications KW - Visibility UR - http://www.roadwaysafety.umn.edu/research/search/projectdetail.html?id=2015022 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1359190 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01566524 TI - Real-time Estimation of Transit Origin-Destination Patterns and Delays Using Low-Cost Ubiquitous Advanced Technologies AB - The Polytechnic Institute of New York University (NYU Poly) research team proposes utilizing Bluetooth technology to estimate origin-destination demands and station wait times of users of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) New York City Subway system. If the entrance and exit turnstiles at subway stations are equipped with Bluetooth receivers, it is possible to capture Origin-Destination (O-D) information for some percentage of the riders with visible Bluetooth devices. The riders who have electronic devices such as most cell phones, iPods, and computers carry unique information in their devices' Bluetooth media access control (MAC) address. This information can be used scrambled and used anonymously to detect the origin and destination of riders by matching data collected at entrances and exits from the system. Assuming that visible Bluetooth (BT) devices are uniformly distributed among the riders, it is possible to estimate a transit O-D matrix for the entire system not only on a daily basis but also over a time period allowing the agency analyze time-dependent OD demand for different station pairs. Moreover the same BT sensors proposed by the research teams will capture waiting times of the same sample of transit riders at fixed locations in each station. This information will then be converted average hourly, daily, weekly delays that can be used in conjunction with OD matrices. Estimation of daily and hourly OD demands and delays is important for transit agencies because it can help improve their operations, reduce delays, and save money, among other benefits. As a low-cost and easy to implement alternative to surveys or other advanced technologies, the research team proposes tracking anonymous Bluetooth IDs using inexpensive, small and easy to deploy Bluetooth detectors / readers with specialized software developed by the research team. Following a literature review and device testing, a series of one-day pilot tests will be conducted in coordination with the MTA to iron out all of the possible hardware and software issues. Following further consultation with the MTA, a full one week to one months test will be conducted with continuous data collection and monitoring to assess the feasibility and usefulness of long-term data collection using the proposed sensor technology. Two software tools to post process the collected data and to perform self Real-time Estimation of Transit Origin-Destination Patterns & Delays Using Low-Cost Ubiquitous Advanced Technologies Region II UTRC 2012-2013 Faculty-Initiated Research Proposal ii diagnosis and remote data acquisition functions will be developed as part of the overall research project. The results and recommendations will be provided to the MTA and other interested transit agencies. KW - Bluetooth technology KW - Delays KW - Estimation theory KW - New York (New York) KW - New York State Metropolitan Transportation Authority KW - Origin and destination KW - Rapid transit KW - Real time information KW - Tracking systems KW - Transit operating agencies UR - http://www.utrc2.org/research/projects/real-time-estimation-transit-origin UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1357759 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01566132 TI - Impact of Polymer Modification on Mechanical and Viscoelastic Properties AB - Polymer modified binders are now extensively used in the asphalt industry. However, it is still not well understood how the polymers and the base binders interlock and whether the degree of interlocking impacts performance of polymer modified binders. The research has shown that low non-recoverable compliance values in the Multiple Stress Creep and Recovery test at 64 C appear to show significantly low rutting performance in the laboratory based on the flow time test. However, most of these tests were done on modified binders that were provided by the refinery whose precise formulations are unknown. There is a need to measure the properties of binders with known modification to determine the influence of polymers on the mechanical properties of the binders. Investigation of the morphology is necessary because the properties change when polymer networks are formed. When a sufficient amount of polymer networks have been formed the polymers are considered to be full interlocking with the binder. Because the dispersion of polymer in an asphalt binder depends on factors such as blending time, temperature, and base compatibility, fluorescence microscopy can be used to monitor the dispersion to ensure that polymer networking is occurring. With the recent acquiring of the fluorescent microscope at Rowan University, it has provided the project with the capability to directly determine if there has been adequate interlocking between the base binder and the polymer and subsequently determine how a given polymer or combination of polymers impact binder and mix performance. KW - Binders KW - Blending KW - Dispersions (Chemistry) KW - Mechanical properties KW - Mix design KW - Morphology KW - Polymer asphalt KW - Rutting KW - Temperature KW - Viscoelasticity UR - http://www.utrc2.org/research/projects/impact-polymer-modification UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1357220 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01563063 TI - Development of Guidelines for Synthetic Fluid Dust Control Palliative Application AB - Loss of the fine soil fraction not only creates a public health and safety issue as clouds of dust develop near the gravel road or runway, the loss of the fines also results in degradation of the gravel surface. Maintaining these surfaces has associated environmental impacts as additional resources are required to maintain the gravel surface such as aggregate, which needs to be mined, transported to the site and applied. Proper application of synthetic fluids to control dust will result in a reduction of the loss of fines over time resulting in a reduction in environmental impact. However, without understanding the relationship between the properties of the aggregate and the performance of the palliative the true effectiveness of these palliatives will not be realized. The specific objectives of this proposal are as follows: (1) Develop a correlation between the physical properties of aggregate and synthetic fluid dust control palliative performance, (2) Develop a correlation between a laboratory based palliative performance testing method (PM10 Drop Test) and a field based palliative based testing method (UAF-DUSTM), and (3) use the results from objectives 1 and 2 to develop engineering guidelines for the application of synthetic fluid palliatives on gravel roads and runways. The final product from this proposed research will be a document containing guidelines for the use of synthetic fluid dust control palliatives. An electronic version of this document will be made available through the Center for Environmentally Sustainable Transportation in Cold Climates website and through the Road Dust Institute website. The project will also publish the results of the study in refereed journals and present the results at relevant conferences. Synthetic fluid palliatives have been in use for several decades. There are no current engineering guidelines as to the use of these products. The guidelines we are proposing to develop will benefit the users of these products. KW - Airport runways KW - Dust control KW - Environmental impacts KW - Gravel roads KW - PM10 KW - Synthetics UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1354180 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01543055 TI - STEM Teacher Professional Development - Transportation Series/Student Outreach and Education - Companion Proposals AB - The nation is battling a critical global competitiveness void due to the substantial lack of students pursuing Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM)-related degrees. Additionally, few high school students are being prepared to enter the workforce and effectively contribute to the economy in STEM-related career fields. Addressing critical transportation workforce shortages and corresponding recruitment and retention issues requires exposing and educating students to industry opportunities as early as possible. Teachers are instrumental in creating an educational environment for exposing students to transportation and STEM-related academic and career treks. Equipping K-12 educators through transportation-focused professional development programs is the first step in building a critical pipeline for augmenting the future transportation workforce. This project will focus on the development of continuing education workshops that will present educators with current and emerging transportation infrastructure issues. Topics include highway design, transportation systems, traffic safety, construction materials, climate event impact and the future of surface transportation. Texas Tech researchers from the Edward E. Whitacre Jr. College of Engineering, and a Texas certified teacher will serve as workshop instructors. The project effort will also focus on equipping educators with classroom implementation materials to inform and inspire students about STEM careers in the transportation industry. Development of grade-appropriate teaching modules and projects will be developed for classroom use, such as academically rigorous senior year Capstone research projects. Simple concepts that students learn in high school level physics, math and chemistry classes (e.g. frictional resistance, corrosion) will be used to construct project-based lessons (PBL) and activities that expose students to real-life scenarios. In addition, methodologies for integrating hands-on projects into lessons and developing rubrics to assess student learning and progress will be provided. Content will be developed by faculty and content master teachers and will cover state academic standards, Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills, 21st Century Skills, and College and Career Readiness skills. Lastly, the effort will yield student recruitment and outreach for 6th - 12th grade students enrolled in classes taught by teachers who participate in the Transportation Series workshops. The goals include sparking student interest, providing faculty-to-student discussion sessions, and solidifying student plans for college and career aspirations in the transportation industry. KW - Continuing education KW - Engineering KW - Mathematics KW - Science KW - Technology KW - Texas KW - Transportation KW - Transportation careers UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1329711 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01543052 TI - Impact of Deicing Salts on Corrosion Rates of MSE Reinforcement AB - The service life of mechanically stabilized earth (MSE) wall systems is estimated based on assumed rates of soil reinforcement corrosion that correspond to mild or moderate corrosive conditions in the soil backfill. The assumption is deemed valid when certain electrochemical properties of the soil backfill, namely electrical resistivity, pH, chloride and sulfate contents, are within specified limits. This approach relies on evaluation of the soil backfill in its initial condition but does not account for changes that may occur in the electrochemical properties of the soil backfill when it is exposed to deicing salts under service conditions. This research will evaluate corrosion rates in steel MSE reinforcement and embedded MSE backfill materials under different levels of exposure to deicing chemicals. This will be accomplished by conducting a detailed laboratory test program that will include applicable material characterization tests and corrosion tests. The test program will examine a range of backfill materials. Special emphasis will be placed on coarse graded backfill recommended for use in high salt exposure environments. KW - Backfill soils KW - Corrosion KW - Deicing chemicals KW - Electrochemical corrosion KW - Laboratory tests KW - Mechanically stabilized earth KW - Soil mechanics UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1329708 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01537486 TI - Time-Dependent Environmental Impacts of Transportation Technologies AB - The goal of this research project is to evaluate the time-dependent environmental impacts of transportation, with a focus on climate impacts. The climate change mitigation potential of transportation fuels and conversion technologies depends on their lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions, and how these compare to climate change mitigation goals. Current and future proposed fuels and technologies for transportation, such as gasoline, various biofuels, natural gas, and electricity, emit multiple greenhouse gases, most notably carbon dioxide and methane, with widely differing radiative efficiencies and atmospheric lifetimes. Assessing their climate impacts therefore requires careful treatment of the time horizon over which the radiative forcing contributions of pulse emissions are considered. In this project we study various approaches to the treatment of this evaluation time horizon, and the implications for the mitigation potential of candidate technologies. KW - Biomass fuels KW - Climate change KW - Electricity KW - Environmental impacts KW - Fuels KW - Greenhouse gases KW - Natural gas UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1323251 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01534438 TI - Carbon Fiber Shear Reinforcement for Prestressed Bridge Girders AB - This research will determine the relative merits and design philosophy of several carbon fiber shear reinforcement schemes for pretensioned, prestressed concrete girders. The primary use of carbon fiber shear reinforcement would be in bridge girders prestressed with carbon fiber prestressing strands. This is done to provide a completely non-metallic reinforcement system, and , therefore, to provide for a longer girder life. The project will begin with a thorough literature and state-of-the-practice review. Based on this review, the three most promising reinforcement methods will be selected for further study. In addition, a design methodology for each reinforcement scheme will be developed. Square, reinforced concrete panels (mimicking the web area near the end of a full sized prestressed girder) will be fabricated with each of the three reinforcement methods so that a direct comparison of construction and design issues can be made. The panels will be tested in direct shear with load, deflections, and strains at critical locations continuously recorded. The behavior of the panels at both service load and strength will be observed and recorded. The project will conclude with developing fabrication and design recommendations for use by the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) and other state agencies. KW - Carbon fibers KW - Design load KW - Girder bridges KW - Prestressed concrete KW - Reinforcement (Engineering) KW - Service life KW - Shear stress KW - Virginia UR - https://cait.rutgers.edu/cait/research/carbon-fiber-shear-reinforcement-prestressed-bridge-girders UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1320039 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01530186 TI - Using Connected Vehicle Technology to Deliver Timely Warnings to Pedestrians AB - Pedestrian injuries and deaths caused by collisions with motor vehicles are on the rise in the U.S. (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 2013). 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 and talking on a mobile device (Hatfield & Murphy, 2007; Nasar & Troyer, 2013; Schwebel et al., 2012; Thompson, Rivara, Ayyagari, & Ebel, 2013). 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 use connected vehicles technology to deliver warnings to pedestrians via their mobile devices. Connected vehicles technology holds great promise for improving traffic safety by alerting drivers to potential incursions with other vehicles. The project will extend this technology by developing a pedestrian warning system delivered via a mobile dedicated short range communication (DSRC) device equipped to receive "Here I am" messages from approaching vehicles. The project will test this intervention by sending warnings about approaching vehicles to texting and non-texting pedestrians while they cross a road in our large-screen, immersive pedestrian simulator. The goal is to determine how texting vs. non-texting pedestrians respond to such a warning system and whether texting pedestrians in particular benefit from receiving warnings about unsafe crossings on their mobile devices. This project will promote multidisciplinary training by providing collaborative research experience to a diverse set of undergraduate and graduate students in psychological science and computer science. The results of this work will also be disseminated to the public through scientific publications and presentations, along with community-based activities such as open house events and safety workshops for the public. KW - Dedicated short range communications KW - Fatalities KW - Mobile communication systems KW - Pedestrian movement KW - Pedestrian-vehicle crashes KW - Smartphones KW - Text messaging KW - Traffic crashes KW - Warning systems UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1315594 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01530182 TI - Development and Evaluation of Infrastructure Strategies for Safer Cycling AB - When making mode choices for transportation, there are many factors in consideration. Further, when considering cycling as an alternative, there exist barriers and obstacles that make this choice less feasible for people. Barriers to cycling are well documented in the literature, and include a variety of factors that span the spectrum from personal responsibilities (such as needing a car to shuttle kids to soccer practice) to the surrounding built environment, to any number of safety concerns regarding lack of on-road cycling infrastructure and a lack of respect and/or recognition by other road users. In order to create real choices for people that include cycling as a reasonable and easy alternative, these barriers must be addressed and overcome. If it remains unsafe to ride a bike on city streets, then people will continue to drive cars to get where they're going. If it remains an inconvenience to ride a bike, with circuitous routes necessary to avoid dangerous roads, then people will continue to choose automobiles for travel. Due to the wealth of information around the personal and societal benefits of increasing cycling infrastructure in a city or town, as well as the research detailing specific barriers to cycling (personal and societal), this project will have a different, more practical focus. While conducting a thorough review of existing literature will be part of this work, the true aim of this research project is to develop and evaluate a series of both traditional and innovative strategies aimed at improving bicycle related infrastructure. As shown in the literature, the optimal strategy for expanding and broadening the way that decision makers conceptualize the built environment is to experiment with different designs and then evaluate the results. While this kind of risk is generally too great for policy makers, planners and engineers working with a shrinking budget, it is the opportunity and role of the researcher to think big and to take new leaps. Given the experimental nature of new and innovative bicycle related infrastructure, coupled with the need to understand the impact of these design concepts on driver-related behaviors, the employment of driving simulator technology is the perfect mechanism for evaluating these strategies. Because the project will occur in a simulator environment where the ability exists to measure standard driver responses (e.g.: eye movements, lateral positioning, speed maintenance, etc.) in a myriad of virtual conditions, multiple strategies and variations of strategies can be evaluated in a cost effective manner. The overall objectives of this research and contribution to the literature will be twofold: 1) review of existing, and development of new infrastructure related elements for improving the accommodation of bicycles within the built environment; and 2) an improved understanding of driver behavior responses associated with bicycle-related infrastructure elements. KW - Barriers (Obstacles) KW - Cyclists KW - Driving simulators KW - Highway design KW - Highway safety KW - Infrastructure KW - Innovation KW - Mode choice UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1315590 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01530181 TI - Impact of Deflection Angle on Roundabout Driver Behavior AB - Roundabouts have been gaining popularity as an alternative to signalized intersections, due to their potential for more efficient and safe traffic operations. While several state and federally funded projects have studied the safety benefits of roundabouts, there are no studies that have investigated the correlation of roundabout entry deflection angles with driver behavior to assess safety at roundabouts. The objective of the proposed research is twofold: (1) to investigate the correlation between deflection angle, vehicles' entry speed, gap acceptance, and acceleration while in the roundabout; and (2) to investigate the relationship between deflection angle and safety-related performance measures (e.g., expected number of crashes?) with the use of traffic microsimulation software. The proposed research investigates the correlation between roundabout entry deflection angles and safety based on observation of driver behavior both in the field and in a microsimulation environment. This is in accordance with the Safer-Sim theme of using simulation techniques to address safety issues. In addition to microsimulation, the proposed research utilizes new technologies to track vehicles and investigate driver behavior in the field for various deflection angles and types of roundabouts. This is consistent with the thematic thrust areas of roadway design and traffic operations. The proposed study consists of two parts. First, the research team will perform field studies to investigate driver behavior on roundabouts. Several subjects will be recruited to drive through two roundabouts that differ significantly in their geometric and operational characteristics. In particular, an isolated single-lane roundabout and two single lane roundabouts connected by a tangent (i.e., a double roundabout) will be used as the test sites for the field study. Information on the driver behavior will be obtained with the use of on-board devices that provide data on speed, location, and acceleration of subject vehicles. In particular, the i2D (intelligent to Drive) on-board unit that collects such information on a second by second basis is available to the research team and therefore, it will be used for the purposes of this study. In addition, video cameras will be utilized to collect gap acceptance data during the course of the field experiments. This way, the relationship between entry speed, deflection angle, and gap acceptance will be investigated. Second, field data that have been collected for these two roundabouts will be used for developing and calibrating simulation models using the microsimulation software VISSIM. VISSIM has been chosen due to its ability to use surrogate metrics in order to provide safety performance measures. This will allow for a safety evaluation of various geometric configurations and in particular, various deflection angles for the aforementioned roundabout models. The outcomes of this research are guidelines that will inform deflection angle design at roundabout entrances. These guidelines are expected to provide insights for improved roundabout entrance designs that can lead to lower vehicle speeds and consequently safer traffic operations at roundabouts. These outcomes are expected to be of interest to local government agencies, such as departments of transportation that are considering building new roundabouts in their jurisdictions or re-designing existing ones to improve traffic operations and safety. Future research could build on the proposed study to investigate combinations of geometric parameters that influence driver behavior and develop more detailed guidelines for roundabout design. KW - Behavior KW - Deflection angle KW - Drivers KW - Gap acceptance KW - Highway design KW - Highway operations KW - Roundabouts KW - Traffic safety KW - Traffic simulation UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1315589 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01570295 AU - Chase, Steven B AU - University of Virginia, Charlottesville AU - Rutgers University, Piscataway AU - Virginia Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Virginia Bridge Information Systems Laboratory PY - 2014/06//Final Report SP - 73p AB - This report presents the results of applied data mining of legacy bridge databases, focusing on the Pontis and National Bridge Inventory databases maintained by the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT). Data analysis was performed using a variety of information technology tools and statistical methods including Microsoft Access and Excel and the R Statistics System. The resulting information consists of models which were of interest to the Virginia Department of Transportation. Deterioration models were developed for Interstate bridges in Virginia. Two sub-studies were conducted in response to VDOT interests. First, Markov Chain models were developed for condition states for the most common Pontis bridge elements on the Interstate bridges. Second, regression models for condition ratings were developed for these same elements. Two additional special studies were conducted by the Virginia Bridge Information Systems Laboratory. A special study at the National Scale was performed, examining 20 years of NBI data. This study summarized typical changes in bridge performance metrics by identifying a sample of bridges with temporally contiguous data for the period from 1992 to 2012. This study uncovered the significance of maintenance and repair actions on bridge performance. Another special study examined the characteristics of bridges which were taken out of service in this same 20 year period. Statistical summaries of service life data were developed. KW - Bridge management systems KW - Bridges KW - Data analysis KW - Data mining KW - Deterioration KW - Markov chains KW - National Bridge Inventory KW - Pontis (Computer program) KW - Regression analysis KW - Service life KW - Virginia Department of Transportation UR - https://cait.rutgers.edu/files/CAIT-UTC-005-final.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/55000/55200/55235/CAIT-UTC-005-final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1359779 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01549002 AU - Zimmerman, Rae AU - Restrepo, Carlos E AU - Sellers, Joshua AU - Amirapu, Arundathi AU - Pearson, Theodore R AU - New York University, New York AU - University Transportation Research Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Promoting Transportation Flexibility in Extreme Events Through Multi-Modal Connectivity PY - 2014/06//Final Report SP - 65p AB - Extreme events of all kinds are increasing in number, severity, or impacts. Transportation provides a vital support service for people in such circumstances in the short-term for evacuation and providing supplies where evacuation is not undertaken, yet, transportation services are often disabled in disasters. Nationwide and in New York (NY) and New Jersey (NJ) record-setting weather disasters have occurred and are expected to continue. Disadvantaged populations are particularly vulnerable. Network theories provide insights into vulnerability and directions for adaptation by defining interconnections, such as multi-modality. Multi-modal connectivity provides passenger flexibility and reduces risks in extreme events, and these benefits are evaluated in the NY area. Focusing on public transit, selected passenger multimodal facilities are identified that connect to transit, emphasizing rail-bus connectivity. Publicly available databases are used from Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), NJ rail, and U.S. Department of Transportation's (DOT’s) Intermodal Passenger Connectivity Database (IPCD). For New York City (NYC), statistical analyses suggest there may be some differences by poverty levels. For NYC and three northeastern NJ cities connectivity differs for stations that are terminuses and have high rail convergence. This report provides statistical summaries, cases, and a literature review to characterize multi-modal facilities and their use in extreme events. Recommendations and future research directions are provided for the role of passenger multi-modality to enhance transit flexibility. KW - Case studies KW - Connectivity KW - Disasters and emergency operations KW - Literature reviews KW - Multimodal transportation KW - New Jersey KW - New York (New York) KW - New York (State) KW - Public transit KW - Recommendations KW - Statistical analysis KW - Transportation disadvantaged persons UR - http://www.utrc2.org/sites/default/files/pubs/Final-NYU-Extreme-Events-Research-Report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1336276 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01545306 AU - Ewing, Reid AU - Tian, Guang AU - Spain, Allison AU - University of Utah, Salt Lake City AU - National Institute for Transportation and Communities AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Effect of Light-Rail Transit on Traffic in a Travel Corridor PY - 2014/06//Final Report SP - 41p AB - This study seeks to quantify the effect of the University TRAX light-rail line on traffic near the University of Utah, providing quantitative data that can be used to shape future transportation policies aimed at reducing traffic congestion, energy consumption, air pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, and parking costs. Travel demand models have long been used to estimate and evaluate the effects of transportation improvements, like light-rail transit (LRT) investments, on network travel flows and times as part of long-range planning studies, using four-step models or more sophisticated urban simulation studies. However, these are usually ex ante studies. Few ex post evaluations have been done, and in this sense, the effects of transit on traffic volumes and associated energy consumption and air pollution have not been rigorously evaluated to support or refute the justification for subsidized transit. Such quantification is required for a comprehensive cost-benefit analysis. The aim of this study is to provide the first hard evidence of light-rail’s impact on traffic in a travel corridor, to quantify the associated savings on energy consumption, air pollution, and parking costs, and to compare cost savings to transit subsidies. KW - Air pollution KW - Benefit cost analysis KW - Costs KW - Energy consumption KW - Evaluation KW - Impacts KW - Light rail transit KW - Parking KW - Subsidies KW - Traffic volume KW - University of Utah UR - http://ppms.otrec.us/media/project_files/NITC-RR-611_Effect_of_Light-Rail_Transit_on_Traffic_in_a_Travel_Corridor.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1322927 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01544602 AU - Chen, Genda AU - Zoughi, Reza AU - Ghasr, M T AU - Bao, Yue AU - Ying, K AU - Combs, K M AU - Mid-America Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Nondestructive Evaluation of Mechanically Stabilized Earth Walls with Frequency-Modulated Continuous Wave (FM-CW) Radar PY - 2014/06//Final Report SP - 40p AB - Effective techniques for a nondestructive evaluation of mechanically stabilized earth (MSE) walls during normal operation or immediately after an earthquake event are yet to be developed. MSE walls often have a rough surface finishing for the purpose of decoration and are reinforced with both horizontal and vertical steel bars. Two wide-band microwave inspection approaches were investigated for detecting and evaluating characteristics of materials behind an MSE wall section. The first approach used spot measurements with a wide-band frequency-modulated continuous wave (FM-CW) radar system. While effective to penetrate through mortar blocks in the laboratory, the radar system was found to have limited applications in MSE walls due to its thick layer, material heterogeneity, surface roughness, and the presence of steel bars. The second approach took wide-band measurements on a two-dimensional (2D) grid and produced three-dimensional (3D) images using a synthetic aperture radar algorithm. Imaging allows for signal averaging and relatively easy distinction of localized features such as steel bars from undesired flaws. Two-dimensional slice images at the location of the anomalies were produced. Several different anomalies placed behind the wall can be detected, demonstrating the effectiveness of the imaging technique as a potential approach for back-fill soil inspection (e.g., moisture, void) behind an MSE wall. KW - Continuous wave radar KW - Earth walls KW - Earthquakes KW - Frequency modulation KW - Image analysis KW - Mechanically stabilized earth KW - Nondestructive tests UR - http://matc.unl.edu/assets/documents/matcfinal/Chen_NondestructiveEvaluationofMechanicallyStabilizedEarthWallswithFrequency-ModulatedContinuous-Wave(FM-CW)Radar.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1331074 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01544524 AU - Marshall, Dawn AU - Chrysler, Susan AU - Smith, Kayla AU - Mid-America Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Older Drivers’ Acceptance of In-Vehicle Systems and the Effect it has on Safety PY - 2014/06//Final Report SP - 91p AB - Older drivers make up the fastest growing segment of the driving population and are, in general, underrepresented in vehicle crashes due to their self-restrictive driving habits. However, as the baby-boomer generation ages into the population of older drivers, the presence of in-vehicle systems designed to counteract the physical and psychological changes of aging could change their habits. Using a literature review to identify systems, effects of aging, and crash statistics of older drivers, various in-vehicle system types were identified and rated for their potential to mitigate the effects of aging on driving performance and behavior. Focus groups were then held with two age groups of older drivers (55-64 and 65-75) to assess their acceptance of four different systems identified by the literature review. Data from the focus groups were factored into a final in-vehicle system matrix that rates system types’ benefits to older drivers based on their generalized ability to counteract the effects of aging, and older drivers’ acceptance of them. In-vehicle systems that alert drivers to potential hazards (e.g., a forward collision warning system) resulted in the highest safety rating while systems that facilitated a driver’s ability to control the vehicle (e.g., an anti-lock braking system) had the lowest safety rating. Overall, the younger age groups of older drivers were more trusting of the various safety systems and felt that drivers their age would want the various systems compared to the older age group. In contrast, the 65-75 year olds were less anxious and less concerned about becoming overly reliant on the different systems compared to the 55-64 year olds. KW - Active safety systems KW - Age groups KW - Aged drivers KW - Driver support systems KW - Focus groups KW - Literature reviews KW - Navigation systems KW - Traffic safety UR - http://matc.unl.edu/assets/documents/matcfinal/Marshall_OlderDriversAcceptanceofIn-vehicleSystemsandtheEffectithasonSafety.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1331080 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01539268 AU - Agrawal, Asha Weinstein AU - Nixon, Hilary AU - San Jose State University AU - California Department of Transportation 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 Five of a National Survey PY - 2014/06//Final Report SP - 114p AB - This report summarizes the results of year five of a national 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. Eleven 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 various perceptions related to public transit, including knowledge and opinions about federal taxes to support transit. 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 69 percent of respondents, whereas support levels dropped to just 25 percent if the revenues were to be used more generally to maintain and improve the transportation system. For tax options where 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, results show that most people want good public transit service and nearly two-thirds support 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 - Fares KW - Federal aid KW - Fuel taxes KW - Government funding KW - Public opinion KW - Public transit KW - Revenues KW - Surveys KW - Taxation UR - http://transweb.sjsu.edu/PDFs/research/1328-road-tax-public-opinion-poll-2014.pdf UR - https://merritt.cdlib.org/d/ark%3A%2F13030%2Fm5tb2n37/1/producer%2F883791031.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/52000/52100/52143/1328-road-tax-public-opinion-poll-2014.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1315407 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01539264 AU - Standridge, Charles R AU - Corneal, Lindsay AU - Mineta National Transit Research Consortium AU - San Jose State University AU - Grand Valley State University AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Remanufacturing, Repurposing, and Recycling of Post-Vehicle-Application Lithium-Ion Batteries PY - 2014/06 SP - 70p AB - As lithium-ion batteries are an efficient energy storage mechanism, their use in vehicles is increasing to support electrification to meet increasing average mileage and decreasing greenhouse gas emission standards. Principles of environmentalism and sustainability suggest the development of processes for the remanufacturing, repurposing, and recycling of post-vehicle-application lithium-ion batteries. Proprietary commercial processes for remanufacturing for reuse in vehicles require safe battery testing that is supported by a newly developed workbench. Repurposing, with a focus on stationary energy storage applications and the development of battery management systems, is demonstrated. Recycling to recover the battery component materials using manual disassembly and acid leaching at relatively low temperatures and in short time periods is shown to be effective. A cost benefit-analysis shows that remanufacturing is profitable. Repurposing is profitable if the development cost is no more than $83/kWh to $114/kWh, depending on research and development expenses. Recycling, driven by environmental and sustainability principles, is not profitable in isolation. The cost of recycling must be borne by remanufacturing and repurposing. A forecasting model shows that the number of post-vehicle-application lithium-ion batteries will be sufficient to support remanufacturing, repurposing, and recycling. KW - Benefit cost analysis KW - Costs KW - Economic analysis KW - Energy storage systems KW - Forecasting KW - Lithium batteries KW - Recycling KW - Salvage UR - http://transweb.sjsu.edu/PDFs/research/1137-post-vehicle-Li-Ion-recycling.pdf UR - http://www.michigan.gov/documents/mdot/RC1604_462068_7.pdf?20140708092141 UR - https://merritt.cdlib.org/d/ark%3A%2F13030%2Fm5z33cv0/1/producer%2F883331185.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1313474 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01537481 AU - Donnell, Kristen M AU - Ghasr, Mohammad Tayeb AU - Kinzel, Edward C AU - Center for Transportation Infrastructure and Safety/NUTC program AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Novel Integrated Nondestructive Testing Methodology for Detection and Evaluation of Corrosion in Cement-Based Materials PY - 2014/06//Final Report SP - 21p AB - The objective of this project focused on the development of a hybrid nondestructive testing and evaluation (NDT&E) methodology that combines the benefits of microwave NDT and thermography into one new technique. In this way, unique features of both NDT methods can be brought together to achieve new results that one method alone cannot achieve. Preliminary results have shown the combination of microwave and infrared (IR) methods as a promising technique for detection of corrosion in metals. The objective of this project is to build upon these preliminary results to investigate the feasibility of this new technique, herein referred to as Active Microwave Thermography (AMT), to detect and evaluate the presence of corrosion in cement-based materials (e.g., corrosion of reinforcing steel bars, or rebar), which is of critical importance to the nation’s transportation infrastructure. Included in this investigation was the acquisition of a small AMT system (designed and built by the graduate student supported by this project) to allow investigators to perform properly controlled experiments with consideration given to incident microwave power, distribution of the microwave energy, frequency, polarization of the incident signal, etc. KW - Corrosion KW - Infrared imagery KW - Infrared thermography KW - Microwaves KW - Nondestructive tests KW - Reinforced concrete KW - Reinforcing bars KW - Structural health monitoring KW - Technological innovations KW - Thermographs UR - http://transportation.mst.edu/media/research/transportation/documents/R341%20Final%20Report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1323190 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01536632 AU - Mehta, Yusuf AU - Guercio, Maria Chiara AU - McCarthy, Leslie AU - Rowan University AU - University Transportation Research Center AU - New Jersey Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Determine Viscoelastic Mechanical Properties of Warm Mix Asphalt (WMA)-Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement (RAP) Mixes under High Stresses in Airfield Flexible Pavements and Its Impacts on Design Life PY - 2014/06//Final Report SP - 24p AB - The introduction of larger aircrafts on flexible airfield pavements has led to a need for asphalt mixtures capable of sustaining such heavy loads. This laboratory and analytical study investigated the mechanical responses of a number of modified asphalt mixtures to identify their potential for use in airfield aprons and taxiways that are subjected to heavy, static or slow-moving aircraft loads. The mixtures analyzed in this study consisted of a P-401 mixture (used as baseline); a warm mix asphalt (WMA) with 35% reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) added to the aggregate portion; a stone matrix asphalt (SMA) mixture; two hot mix asphalt (HMA) mixtures with two different modified binder grades (PG82-22 and PG70-22); a dense-graded asphalt (DGA) mixture; and a bottom rich intermediate course (BRIC) mixture. The airfield flexible pavement section constructed at the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) National Airport Pavement Test Facility Construction Cycle – 1 was modeled using the three-dimensional finite element analysis (FEA) software ABAQUS™. Laboratory-compacted specimens of each modified asphalt mixture were tested using American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) standards to determine volumetric properties and mechanical responses. The effects of static and dynamic aircraft loading were evaluated in ABAQUS™ using the material properties of the mixtures determined in the laboratory. Flow time and overlay tester results were found to be closely related to the performance of the modified asphalt mixtures. Higher flow time values resulted in lower stresses and deflections in the asphalt surface course. Higher cycles to failure resulted in lower tensile strains at the bottom of the surface course. The rutting performance of all mixtures analyzed in this study, except for HMA PG70-22 and DGA mixtures was comparable to the performance of the baseline (FAA P-401) mixture. Based on the overlay test results, it was found that all of the mixtures analyzed in this study, except for the SMA, exceeded the minimum threshold value and might be comparable to the baseline (FAA P-401) mixture. Based on the findings of this study, it appears that a number of mixtures more commonly used in highway pavements, including modified mixtures, warm mix asphalt, and reclaimed asphalt pavement perform similarly to or even outperform the FAA standard asphalt mixture. The results of this initial study support the idea that an opportunity exists for airports to implement emerging asphalt paving materials without compromising the pavement design life. KW - Airport runways KW - Asphalt mixtures KW - Finite element method KW - Flexible pavements KW - Hot mix asphalt KW - Loads KW - Pavement design KW - Reclaimed asphalt pavements KW - Rutting KW - Service life KW - Stone matrix asphalt KW - Viscoelasticity KW - Warm mix paving mixtures UR - http://www.utrc2.org/sites/default/files/pubs/Final-Viscoelastic-Properties-Warm-Mix-Asphalt.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1321364 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01535673 AU - Gabree, Scott AU - Chase, Stephanie AU - Cardosi, Kim AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Aviation Administration TI - Use of Color on Airport Moving Maps and Cockpit Displays of Traffic Information (CDTIs) PY - 2014/06//Preliminary Draft Report SP - 38p AB - Color can be an effective method for coding visual information, making it easier to find and identify symbols on a display (Christ, 1975). However, careful consideration should be given when applying color because excessive or inappropriate use of color can add confusion to an already complex display. A wealth of guidance exists for how to effectively use color in electronic displays, but it is spread across both Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulatory and guidance material and general human factors technical reports. Additionally, this information may not be presented in a way that clearly specifies how it can be applied to color use on an airport moving map or other avionics displays. The purpose of this document is to present known issues related to color which have been identified on current airport moving maps and Cockpit Displays of Traffic Information (CDTIs). This document also compiles FAA regulatory and guidance material, industry documents, and human factors research recommendations which address the use of color. Potential evaluation criteria for how an evaluator may assess the use of color on airport moving maps or other avionics displays are proposed. KW - Airborne navigational aids KW - Color KW - Human factors KW - Information display systems KW - Maps KW - Recommendations UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/51000/51900/51993/Use_of_Color_on_Airport_Moving_Maps_and_CDTI.pdf?utm_source=GovDelivery&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=july%20newsletter UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1319588 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01535655 AU - Chase, Stephanie G AU - Hiltunen, Danielle AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Stinger Ghaffarian Technologies, Incorporated AU - Federal Aviation Administration TI - An Examination of Safety Reports Involving Electronic Flight Bags and Portable Electronic Devices PY - 2014/06//Final Report SP - 130p AB - The purpose of this research was to develop a better understanding of safety considerations with the use of Electronic Flight Bags (EFBs) and Portable Electronic Devices (PEDs) by examining safety reports from Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS), Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Runway Safety Office (RSO) and Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), Australian Transportation Safety Bureau (ATSB), Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB), and French Bureau of Enquiry and Analysis for Civil Aviation Safety (BEA). A total of 335 human factors concerns were identified from the ASRS and CAA reports; most human factors concerns pertained to the use of electronic charts, and in particular scrolling and zooming. Pilots also noted the presentation of incorrect or out-of-date information, and information presented differently on electronic charts than on paper charts. Additional human factors concerns were related to inexperience/lack of expertise and distraction with the PED/EFB. Four FAA runway incursion and accident/incident reports cited EFB/PED distraction, head-down time and erroneous aircraft performance parameters (e.g., incorrect temperature). The two NTSB accident reports that involved an EFB as a contributory factor both involved pilot misinterpretation of performance calculation data during landing, one due to inadequate training and the other the result of hidden assumptions underlying performance calculations. The reports from ATSB, BEA, and TSB primarily cited take-off performance data errors as a primary factor which led to increased workload (e.g., last-minute change which could lead to errors in calculating take-off speeds). KW - Aeronautical charts KW - Air pilots KW - Aviation safety KW - Aviation Safety Reporting System KW - Crash data KW - Electronic equipment KW - Electronic flight bags KW - Human factors in crashes KW - Information display systems UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/51000/51900/51968/An_Examination_of_Safety_Reports_Involving_EFBs_and_PEDs.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1317676 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01533076 AU - Haas, Peter J AU - Mineta Transportation Institute AU - San Jose State University AU - California Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Modal Shift and High-Speed Rail: A Review of the Current Literature PY - 2014/06//Final Report SP - x, 50p AB - This report provides a review of scholarly literature on the topic of modal shift and high-speed rail (HSR). HSR system planners assume they will attract "choice" riders who would have chosen other modes such as air, automobile, bus, etc. had the HSR not been created. Identifying and measuring the actual ability of HSR to effect modal shift is therefore critical. This report examines the evidence concerning HSR and modal shift in both secondary analyses of six previous studies and in thirteen newer studies that use primarily original data. The studies comprise a large variety of HSR systems, time periods, data sources, and means of analysis. The literature affirms that HSR has resulted in significant-to-dramatic mode shifts where it has been systematically evaluated. The most extensive and convincing information concerns HSR versus airline service, while research concerning direct competition with automobiles, express buses, and other modes is much less highly developed. KW - Airlines KW - Competition KW - Forecasting KW - High speed rail KW - Literature reviews KW - Market share KW - Modal shift KW - Mode choice KW - Ridership UR - http://transweb.sjsu.edu/PDFs/research/1223-modal-shift-high-speed-rail-literature-review.pdf UR - https://merritt.cdlib.org/d/ark%3A%2F13030%2Fm5qj8xgw/1/producer%2F883917280.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/52000/52100/52142/1223-modal-shift-high-speed-rail-literature-review.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1315405 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01533065 AU - Noland, Robert B AU - Chatman, Daniel G AU - Klein, Nicholas J AU - Mineta National Transit Research Consortium AU - San Jose State University AU - Rutgers University, New Brunswick AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Transit Access and the Agglomeration of New Firms: A Case Study of Portland and Dallas PY - 2014/06//Final Report SP - xll, 50p AB - This research examines whether new firms are more likely to form near rail transit stations. Two relatively new light-rail systems in Portland, Oregon, and Dallas, Texas form the basis of the analysis. A geocoded, time-series database of firm births from 1991 through 2008 is analyzed using all firm births, firm births of various sizes, and firm births of specific industry sectors. A random effects, negative binomial model is used to examine associations between proximity to rail stations and other spatially defined variables. Results show that newly formed firms tend to cluster around stations in the Portland region but not in the Dallas region. There is a much stronger association between transit proximity and new firm birth in the Portland region compared to the Dallas-Ft. Worth region. In both regions, births of larger firms tend to be associated with greater proximity to transit stations, perhaps reflecting the greater agglomeration benefits that they receive. Different planning and zoning criteria in Portland versus those in Dallas may explain the relative success of Portland in achieving clusters of new firms near transit. KW - Accessibility KW - Agglomeration KW - Businesses KW - City planning KW - Dallas-Fort Worth Metropolitan Area KW - Economic development KW - Industries KW - Light rail transit KW - Location KW - Portland (Oregon) KW - Rail transit stations KW - Urban areas KW - Urban transportation policy KW - Zoning UR - http://transweb.sjsu.edu/PDFs/research/1145-transit-access-and-firm-births-portland-dallas.pdf UR - https://merritt.cdlib.org/d/ark%3A%2F13030%2Fm52v3w7n/1/producer%2F883324314.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1312250 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01532312 AU - Gar, Shobeir Pirayeh AU - Hurlebaus, Stefan AU - Mander, John B AU - Cummings, Wesley AU - Prouty, Michelle J AU - Head, Monique H AU - Texas A&M Transportation Institute AU - Southwest Region University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Sustainability of Transportation Structures Using Composite Materials to Support Trade and Growth PY - 2014/06//Research Report SP - 126p AB - Corrosion-induced deterioration of steel rebar is one of the main reasons for repair and rehabilitation programs for conventional steel-reinforced concrete bridge decks. According to the National Association of Corrosion Engineers (NACE), of all bridges in the United States, over 50 percent are constructed of conventional steel-reinforced or prestressed concrete, and one in three bridges is considered structurally deficient or functionally obsolete due to corrosion of steel reinforcement. NACE has estimated the annual cost of corrosion-related maintenance of highway bridges in the United States at $8.3 billion. To overcome corrosion-induced structural issues, researchers have introduced and applied fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) bars, over the past couple of decades, as a corrosion-resistant candidate for either conventional reinforcing steel or prestressing strands. High strength-to-weight ratio, corrosion resistance, and accelerated construction due to ease of placement of the bars and implementation are the special characteristics that make these bars an appealing alternative for either steel-reinforcing bars or prestressing strands. This report presents the experimental and analytical investigations of structural performance of a full-scale American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) I-girder Type I, reinforced and prestressed with aramid-fiber-reinforced polymer (AFRP) bars, where the bridge girder is composite with a topping deck. The major objectives of this research included evaluating (1) the constructability, (2) the load and deformation capacities under either flexure or shear tests, and (3) the structural performance per AASHTO load and resistance factor design (LRFD) criteria. The results of this research confirm the adequate strength and deformation capacities of the composite girder, satisfying the AASHTO LRFD criteria. The flexural capacity of the composite girder was about 1582 kNm (1167 kft.), which is 20 percent greater than the maximum factored load, 1326 kNm (978 kft.), per AASHTO LRFD. Under the flexure test, the failure mode of the girder was recognized as the tendon rupture in the bottom flange, where the maximum compressive strain in the topping deck did not reach a failure value equal to −0.003. Such a failure mode was expected because it is not practical to fit too many FRP bars within the bottom flange of the girder to over-reinforce the section and change the failure mode from tendon rupture to concrete crushing in the top fiber of the section. KW - AASHTO LRFD Bridge Design Specifications KW - Aramid fibers KW - Deformation KW - Fiber composites KW - Fiber reinforced polymers KW - Flexural strength KW - Girders KW - Load and resistance factor design KW - Shear tests KW - Structural analysis UR - http://swutc.tamu.edu/publications/technicalreports/600451-00009-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1317276 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01531524 AU - Washburn, Leslie D AU - Southeastern Transportation Research, Innovation, Development and Education Center (STRIDE) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - UF Workforce Development Efforts PY - 2014/06//Final Report SP - 20p AB - Workforce development activities aim to attract new entrants into the transportation field and improve the skills of the existing workforce to effectively address today’s transportation system challenges. The University of Florida Transportation Institute (UFTI) participated in three planned K-12 outreach activities for the Southeastern Transportation Research, Innovation, Development and Education Center (STRIDE), as well as several other activities. (1) LEGO® Robot Vehicle Lesson Plans for Secondary Education: UFTI used the “Introduction to Transportation” curriculum developed at the University of Florida (UF) for students in grades 5-8 in local schools, afterschool programs, and summer camps. Students learned various fundamentals of Transportation Engineering and how the use of advanced technology is integral to solving current and future transportation problems. They also learned how much transportation affects the quality of life in our society and touches safety, livability, and economic competitiveness. (2) Transportation Career Day: Designed to introduce high school-aged students to transportation careers, the day-long event featured a presentation, lab tour, and hands-on traffic simulation exercise. (3) Family Engineering Events: UFTI hosted an informal engineering education program at local elementary schools to team up children aged 7-12 and their parents or caregivers to experience fun, hands-on engineering activities. In addition to the programs planned for STRIDE, UFTI participated in outreach with assistance from university student chapter members and through local partnerships. Students provided a booth at the College of Engineering’s Engineering Fair, and hosted morning workshops on transportation engineering in partnership with GatorTRAX, a university student run organization that hosts engineering and math workshops for K-12 students. The Cade Museum for Creativity and Innovation in Gainesville provides hands-on classes and labs that focus thematic-based learning using inventors and inventions to teach and inspire creativity in the next generation. UFTI partnered with the Cade Museum to provide workshops not only with the LEGO® robotic curriculum, but also with newly-developed straw bridge challenge, roller coaster design challenge, and engineering day curricula. KW - Elementary school students KW - Florida KW - High school students KW - Outreach KW - Transportation careers KW - Transportation engineering UR - http://stride.ce.ufl.edu/uploads/docs/l_washburn_UF_workforce_final_report_2014.pdf UR - http://www.stride.ce.ufl.edu/uploads/docs/l_washburn_UF_workforce_final_report_2014.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1316741 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01531520 AU - Hines, Paul AU - Frolik, Jeff AU - Marshall, Jeffrey AU - Rezaei, Pooya AU - Seier, Andrew AU - Fuhrmann, Andrew AU - Dowds, Jonathan AU - Hilshey, Alexander AU - University of Vermont, Burlington AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Understanding and Managing the Impacts of Electric Vehicles on Electric Power Distribution Systems PY - 2014/06 SP - 83p AB - While there are a number of useful studies on the greenhouse gas impacts of transportation electrification, only recently have researchers begun to understand the impacts of electricity on electric power infrastructure. Thus, the primary goals of this research project were to understand these impacts in detail and to develop new methods for reducing the impact of transportation electrification on the electricity transmission and distribution infrastructure. In particular, this report focuses on understanding and mitigating the impact of transportation electrification on the medium and low voltage distribution infrastructure, through which electricity is transported from the bulk power grid, through neighborhoods, to individual homes and businesses. This project focused specifically on the impacts of electric vehicles on two key components of power distribution systems: residential service transformers, and underground cables. This project also studied new methods to dynamically adjust the number of electric vehicles that are charging simultaneously, in order to mitigate the risk of electricity infrastructure damage from electric vehicle charging. KW - Electric cables KW - Electric power transmission KW - Electric power transmission facilities KW - Electric vehicle charging KW - Electric vehicles KW - Energy consumption KW - Transformers UR - http://www.uvm.edu/~transctr/research/trc_reports/UVM-TRC-14-010.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1317072 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01531519 AU - Sisiopiku, Virginia P AU - Southeastern Transportation Research, Innovation, Development and Education Center (STRIDE) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - UAB Transportation Workforce Development PY - 2014/06//Final Report SP - 27p AB - Transportation engineering supports safe and efficient movement of people and goods through planning, design, operation and management of transportation systems. As needs for transportation continue to grow, the future needs for qualified transportation engineers is expected to grow as well. Moreover, retirements of the baby boomers will create a new need to recruit more students in the transportation engineering field in order to address existing and future workforce needs. Despite the career development opportunities in transportation engineering and related fields, many young students lack a clear understanding of the opportunities that lie within the science and engineering fields. Thus a need exists to expose young students to the engineering field at an early age and foster interest in transportation engineering profession as a potential career choice in the future. The 2013 Kids in Engineering Day (KIED) field day event hosted at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) introduced various engineering activities to elementary school students from the Birmingham-Hoover surrounding areas as a solution to overcome the unfamiliarity with the engineering field. Student participants learned about engineering disciplines and participated in fun hands-on activities. While children worked on experiments, UAB faculty and other engineering professionals offered presentations to educate parents about engineering career options, including careers in transportation. KW - Birmingham (Alabama) KW - Elementary school students KW - Transportation careers KW - Transportation engineering UR - http://stride.ce.ufl.edu/uploads/docs/sisiopiku_UAB_workforce_final_report_2014.pdf UR - http://www.stride.ce.ufl.edu/uploads/docs/sisiopiku_UAB_workforce_final_report_2014.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1316740 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01531036 AU - Adams, Teresa AU - Bloom, Eleanor AU - Edil, Tuncer AU - Hanz, Andrew AU - Schroeckenthaler, Kyle AU - National Center for Freight and Infrastructure Research and Education (CFIRE) AU - Minnesota Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Cost Effective Means to Managing Pavements in Poor Condition PY - 2014/06//Final Report SP - 74p AB - Tight budgets and dwindling state and federal revenue hinder efforts of transportation agencies to resurrect pavements in poor condition. As a “stop-gap” measure, some agencies simply allow roads to deteriorate to gravel. However, this approach can be costly over the long-term and often results in dissatisfied users. This research project will identify construction treatments and/or materials that can be used to extend the service life of pavements in poor condition. These treatments are intended to be economical and practical “stop-gap” measures until permanent and affordable solutions are available. They are not an “alternative” to reconstruction. New emerging pavement rehabilitation strategies are being developed and tested at the Recycled Materials Resource Center (RMRC) at University of Wisconsin-Madison using superior properties of recycled materials (e.g., fly ash stabilized reclaimed asphalt pavement and recycled concrete aggregate) to extend service lives of roadways. Efforts are underway to evaluate their performance by comparative economic and environmental life cycle analyses. These methods show great promise as cost-effective measures to treat poor pavements to achieve stop-gap or longer life cycle results. The research will create tools for selecting and analyzing strategies for pavements in poor condition. The tools, created for Minnesota, will support future decision-making based on cost effectiveness by providing a synthesized method of life cycle cost analysis (LCCA) and life cycle assessment (LCA). This research will illustrate design strategies that offer Minnesota greater economic and environmental sustainability in resurrecting dead roads, resulting in maintaining a healthy road system. KW - Cost effectiveness KW - Life cycle analysis KW - Life cycle costing KW - Pavement maintenance KW - Pavement management systems KW - Reclaimed asphalt pavements KW - Recycled materials KW - Rehabilitation (Maintenance) KW - Service life UR - http://www.wistrans.org/cfire/documents/CFIRE-05-03-Final-Report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1316830 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01530981 AU - Toma, Samuel AU - Swanson, Elizabeth AU - Smith, John D AU - Najm, Wassim G AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration TI - Heavy Truck Pre-Crash Scenarios for Safety Applications Based on Vehicle-to-Vehicle Communications PY - 2014/06 SP - 86p AB - This report describes pre-crash scenarios involving at least one heavy truck (gross vehicle weight rating greater than 10,000 pounds), which might be addressed with crash-imminent warning systems based on short range vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communications. The analysis focuses on 17 target pre-crash scenarios that are statistically described using the 2004-2008 General Estimates System (GES) crash databases and the Large-Truck Crash Causation Study (LTCCS) database. GES data is queried to quantify the societal cost and describe the driving environment, driver characteristics, and crash contributing factors of target pre-crash scenarios. LTCCS data is analyzed to portray crash causal factors. Approximately 233,000 annual police-reported crashes involving at least one heavy truck were associated with the 17 target pre-crash scenarios. These police-reported crashes contributed to about 21 billion dollars in comprehensive economic costs based on 2007 economics and 153,000 functional years lost annually. Heavy-truck drivers of interest accounted for about 57 percent of all drivers involved in these crashes. KW - Crash avoidance systems KW - Crash causes KW - Crash data KW - Crash severity KW - General Estimates System KW - Heavy duty trucks KW - Large Truck Crash Causation Study KW - Truck drivers KW - Vehicle to vehicle communications UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/51000/51900/51946/812023-Heavy_Truck_Pre-Crash_Scenarios.pdf?utm_source=GovDelivery&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=June%20newsletter UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1314138 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01530971 AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Advancing a Sustainable Highway System: Highlights of FHWA Sustainability Activities PY - 2014/06 SP - 65p AB - The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is undertaking a significant amount of work related to sustainability across a number of program areas throughout the Agency. The purpose of this report is to showcase some of the ways in which FHWA is incorporating and embedding sustainability into its programs, projects, policies, processes, and partnerships. This report will highlight several agency initiatives and programs including “Action Areas” developed in consultation and collaboration with the FHWA Sustainability Working Group. The Action Areas are those in which there is currently a focus on sustainability, or are emerging activities that support the “triple bottom line” principles of sustainability. While sustainability is fully supported in other long-standing and well-established programs throughout the agency, the featured Action Areas represent significant opportunities for new growth and advancement in this area and have high potential for achieving sustainability goals and benefits in the near term. Action areas in this report are organized by topic, including: Safety, Freight and Good Movement, Asset Management, Human Environment, Financial Assessment, Roadway Maintenance, Climate Change, Air Quality, and Environmental Streamlining. This report will serve as a resource to the public, transportation professionals, and those working within FHWA to help them better understand the various sustainability activities and initiatives moving forward within the Agency. KW - Air quality KW - Asset management KW - Case studies KW - Climate change KW - Economic analysis KW - Freight traffic KW - Highway maintenance KW - Highway safety KW - Land use KW - Sustainable development KW - Sustainable transportation KW - U.S. Federal Highway Administration UR - http://www.sustainablehighways.dot.gov/documents/FHWA_Sustainability_Activities_June2014.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/51000/51900/51985/Sustainability_Report_Final_June2014.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1315395 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01530958 AU - Guthy, Catherine AU - Rosenhand, Hadar AU - Bisch, Alison AU - Nadler, Eric AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Railroad Administration TI - Safety of Railroad Employees’ Use of Personal Electronic Devices PY - 2014/06//Final Report SP - 114p AB - This report describes two studies sponsored by the Federal Railroad Administration that examined distraction from personal electronic device (PED) usage among safety-critical railroad employees. Study I considered railroad rules, railroad efficiency testing results and accident databases, as well as first-hand accounts of PED usage and the safety issues that can result from the distraction that they can cause. The Study I participants were non-operating employees, specifically maintenance of way employees and signalmen. Study II expanded upon Study I to gather a wider “snapshot” of PED usage among operating and non-operating safety critical employees, specifically locomotive engineers, conductors, car inspectors, and dispatchers. In both studies, the researchers listened to input from employees about both PEDs and company-issued electronic communication devices. The findings provide a qualitative baseline for education and outreach programs that are intended to reduce distraction related to PED use in the workplace and address the extension of existing FRA regulations that prohibit or restrict their use to non-operating employees. KW - Distraction KW - Maintenance personnel KW - Personal communication devices KW - Railroad crashes KW - Railroad safety KW - Railroad transportation KW - Regulation KW - Train crews UR - http://www.fra.dot.gov/Elib/Document/3908 UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/52000/52100/52160/Railroad_Use_of_Electronic_Devices_20140620_FINAL.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1313904 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01530890 AU - Regan, Terry AU - Middleton, Scott AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Federal Transit Administration TI - Developing Formal Asset Management Plans: A TPCB Peer Exchange PY - 2014/06//Final Report SP - 23p AB - This report highlights key recommendations and best practices identified at the peer exchange on Transportation Asset Management Plans (TAMP), held on February 5 and 6, 2014, in Columbia, South 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). Through this peer exchange South Carolina Department of Transportation sought to gain a better understanding of the asset management process. The peers agencies represented were Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development, Minnesota Department of Transportation and North Carolina Department of Transportation. KW - Asset management KW - Best practices KW - Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development KW - Minnesota Department of Transportation KW - North Carolina Department of Transportation KW - Peer exchange KW - South Carolina Department of Transportation KW - State departments of transportation KW - Transportation planning UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/51000/51800/51869/SCDOT_Asset_Management_Peer_Exchange-_Columbia_February_2014__2_.pdf?utm_source=GovDelivery&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=June%20newsletter UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1314141 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01529377 AU - Monsere, Chris AU - Dill, Jennifer AU - McNeil, Nathan AU - Clifton, Kelly AU - Foster, Nick AU - Goddard, Tara AU - Berkow, Matt AU - Gilpin, Joe AU - Voros, Kim AU - van Hengel, Drusilla AU - Parks, Jamie AU - National Institute for Transportation and Communities AU - Oregon Transportation Research and Education Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Lessons From The Green Lanes: Evaluating Protected Bike Lanes In the U.S. PY - 2014/06//Final Report SP - 179p AB - This report presents finding from research evaluating U.S. protected bicycle lanes (cycle tracks) in terms of their use, perception, benefits, and impacts. This research examines protected bicycle lanes in five cities: Austin, Texas; Chicago, Illinois; Portland, Oregon; San Francisco, California; and Washington, D.C., using video, surveys of intercepted bicyclists and nearby residents, and count data. A total of 168 hours were analyzed in this report where 16,393 bicyclists and 19,724 turning and merging vehicles were observed. These data were analyzed to assess actual behavior of bicyclists and motor vehicle drivers to determine how well each user type understands the design of the facility and to identify potential conflicts between bicyclists, motor vehicles and pedestrians. City count data from before and after installation, along with counts from video observation, were used to analyze change in ridership. A resident survey (n=2,283 or 23% of those who received the survey in the mail) provided the perspective of people who live, drive, and walk near the new lanes, as well as residents who bike on the new lanes. A bicyclist intercept survey (n= 1,111; or 33% of those invited to participate) focused more on people’s experiences riding in the protected lanes. A measured increase was observed in ridership on all facilities after the installation of the protected cycling facilities, ranging from +21% to +171%. Survey data indicates that 10% of current riders switched from other modes, and 24% shifted from other bicycle routes. Over a quarter of riders indicated they are riding more in general because of the protected bike lanes. A large majority of drivers and bicyclists stated that they understood the intent of the intersection designs and were observed to use them as intended, though specific designs perform better than others on certain tasks. No collisions or near-collisions were observed over 144 hours of video review for safety at intersections, including 12,900 bicyclists. Residents and bicyclists indicated that any type of buffer shows a considerable increase in self-reported comfort levels over a striped bike lane, though designs with more physical separation had the highest scores. Buffers with vertical physical objects (those that would be considered protected lanes - e.g. with flexposts, planters, curbs, or parked cars) all resulted in considerably higher comfort levels than buffers created only with paint. Flexpost buffers got very high ratings even though they provide little actual physical protection from vehicle intrusions— cyclists perceive them as an effective means of positive separation. Support for the protected lanes among residents was generally strong with 75% saying that they would support building more protected bike lanes at other locations, and 91% of surveyed residents agreed with the statement, “I support separating bikes from cars.” This agreement was high among primary users of all modes (driving, walking, transit, and bicycling), though motorists expressed concerns about the impacts of protected lanes on congestion and parking. Most residents also agreed with the statement “I would be more likely to ride a bicycle if motor vehicles and bicycles were physically separated by a barrier,” with “Interested but Concerned” residents expressing the highest level of agreement at 85%. Nearly three times as many residents felt that the protected bike lanes had led to an increase in the desirability of living in their neighborhood, as opposed to a decrease in desirability (43% vs 14%). KW - Austin (Texas) KW - Bicycle counts KW - Bicycle lanes KW - Chicago (Illinois) KW - Cyclists KW - Drivers KW - Intersections KW - Merging traffic KW - Portland (Oregon) KW - San Francisco (California) KW - Surveys KW - Traffic conflicts KW - Turning traffic KW - United States KW - Video KW - Washington (District of Columbia) UR - http://ppms.otrec.us/media/project_files/NITC-RR-583_ProtectedLanes_FinalReport.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1312752 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01529082 AU - Williams, Kristine M AU - Seggerman, Karen E AU - National Center for Transit Research AU - Florida Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Multimodal Transportation Best Practices and Model Element PY - 2014/06//Final Report SP - 248p AB - This report provides guidance in developing a multimodal transportation element of a local government comprehensive plan. Two model elements were developed to address differences in statutory requirements for communities of different sizes and planning context. The first model element includes guidance for large local governments and those within the boundary of a metropolitan planning organization (MPO). The second includes guidance for smaller or more rural communities outside of MPO boundaries. Each model element encourages a range of best practices in multimodal transportation planning as identified through a review of the literature, agency plans, and related documents. The guidance is designed for consistency with §163.3177(6)(b), Florida Statutes (F.S.), of the 2011 Florida Community Planning Act. As such, emphasis is placed on ensuring a multimodal transportation system appropriate to the size and character of the community, providing for public transportation as feasible, improving accessibility and connectivity between modes, and coordination with land use and plans of other transportation agencies and modal providers. Contents include guidance on establishing a community vision and priorities, relevant and professionally accepted data sources and analysis procedures/tools, guidance on existing and future conditions analysis and mapping, establishing quality/ level of service standards and other performance measures or benchmarks, future transportation system network planning strategies, and example goals, objectives, policies, and strategies. KW - Best practices KW - Florida KW - Land use planning KW - Local government KW - Metropolitan planning organizations KW - Multimodal transportation KW - Transportation planning KW - Transportation policy UR - http://www.fdot.gov/research/Completed_Proj/Summary_PL/FDOT-BDK85-977-49-rpt.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1312800 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01529413 AU - Troy, Austin AU - Voigt, Brian AU - Sullivan, Jim AU - Azaria, Dale AU - Lanute, Brad AU - Sadek, Adel AU - Lawe, Stephen AU - Hershey, David AU - Grady, Brian AU - Broussard, John AU - Lobb, John AU - UVM Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Signature Project 1B – Integrated Land-Use, Transportation and Environmental Modeling PY - 2014/05/23/Final Report SP - 37p AB - Land use and transportation are inextricably linked. Models that capture the dynamics and interactions of both systems are indispensable for evaluating alternative courses of action in policy and investment. The Integrated Modeling Project seeks to implement several versions of an integrated land-use / transportation model for Chittenden County, Vermont. Based on those results, the authors hope to evaluate the benefits of increased complexity and disaggregation in modeling of land-use, travel demand, and travel supply (route choice and traffic assignment) relative to the costs. Working collaboratively with local and regional planners, the project also seeks to develop alternative policy scenarios that can be evaluated using these different model configurations. By evaluating the sensitivities of baseline and alternative policy scenarios to different configurations and complexity levels for the integrated model, the authors hope to gain insight about how the appropriateness of model disaggregation and complexity may also vary with policy application. Towards this end the project compares an integration of the dynamic UrbanSim land use model with a static traffic assignment (TransCAD) to a more complex integration of UrbanSim with a traffic simulation (TRANSIMS) and trip generation from TransCAD. Finally, the Environmental Metrics Project seeks to develop tools for generating environmental indicators from the outputs of the integrated models, which will allow for evaluation of scenarios on the basis of environmental metrics. KW - Chittenden County (Vermont) KW - Costs KW - Disaggregate analysis KW - Environment KW - Land use models KW - Policy KW - Traffic simulation KW - TransCAD (Computer program) KW - TRANSIMS (Computer model) KW - Travel demand KW - UrbanSim (Computer model) UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/51000/51900/51964/Troy-Final-Report-14-005.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1312591 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01530923 AU - Koopmann, Jonathan AU - Solman, Gina Barberio AU - Dinges, Eric AU - Biederman, Andrew AU - Rickel, Denise AU - Tran, Elaine AU - Augustine, Stephen AU - Baker, Jesse AU - White, Tyler AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - ATAC Corporation AU - Metron Aviation AU - Federal Aviation Administration TI - Aviation Environmental Design Tool (AEDT) Uncertainty Quantification Supplemental Report Version 2a Service Pack 2 (SP2) PY - 2014/05/21 SP - 31p AB - The Federal Aviation Administration, Office of Environment and Energy (FAA-AEE) has developed the Aviation Environmental Design Tool (AEDT) version 2a software system with the support of the following development team: FAA, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), U.S. Department of Transportation Volpe National Transportation Systems Center (Volpe Center), ATAC Corporation, Metron Aviation, Wyle Laboratories, CSSI, Inc., Foliage, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Georgia Tech. AEDT 2a is designed to dynamically model aircraft performance in space and time to compute aircraft noise, emissions, and fuel burn. This document is the AEDT 2a Service Pack 2 Uncertainty Quantification Supplemental Report, which compares changes between AEDT 2a and Service Pack 2 based on verification and validation and capability demonstrations of the software’s methodologies and performance in comparison with legacy models. KW - Aircraft noise KW - Aircraft operations KW - Aviation Environmental Design Tool KW - Fuel consumption KW - Pollutants KW - Software KW - Uncertainty KW - Validation UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/51000/51800/51867/20140520_AEDT_2a_SP2_UQ_Supplement.pdf?utm_source=GovDelivery&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=June%20newsletter UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1314142 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01554047 TI - Routing Strategies for Efficient Deployment of Alternative Fuel Vehicles for Freight Delivery AB - With the increased emphasis on sustainability, several large logistics companies have purchased Alternative Fuel Vehicles (AFVs) to support their delivery operations. However, without effective deployment strategies for fueling stations it is not clear that these initiatives will result in net savings in emissions. Many of the local freight delivery operations are performed by independent truckers who are too small to manage their own fueling station. Thus, it becomes imperative to develop efficient deployment strategies for fueling stations for these carriers that will have minimal impact on their routing operations. This research will address the following questions regarding the impact on the location of the fueling stations on the deployment of AFVs for freight delivery. For a given set of origins and destinations, what would be the route efficiency losses? Could we end up with more net fuel consumption and greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions? Under what circumstance would introduction of AFVs lead to the least efficiency losses? KW - Fuel consumption KW - Greenhouse gases UR - http://ncst.ucdavis.edu/usc-dot-05/ UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1344608 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01541692 TI - Impact of Cold Climates on Vehicle Emissions: Cold Start Air Toxics Pulse AB - Impact of Cold Climates on Vehicle Emissions: The Cold Start Air Toxics Pulse. Vehicle emissions models, such as the United States Environmental Protection Agency's ( EPA's) Motor Vehicle Emissions Simulator (MOVES) suggest that in cold climates, the majority of pollutant mass emitted by vehicles occurs during engine cold starts and idling and not when the vehicle is moving along the road. In winter, cold starts in combination with meteorological conditions that trap vehicle emissions under low lying temperature inversions lead to significantly elevated pollutant concentrations. People living in colder climates are potentially exposed to significantly higher concentrations of air toxics than in warmer climates because of enhanced cold start and idling emissions and lower pollution dispersion rates. However, vehicle emissions data for cold climates is sparse and the accuracy of vehicle emissions model parameterizations for air toxics in cold climates is not known. Clarifying the importance of vehicle cold start and engine idling emissions in cold climates is the focus of this study. We will measure cold start emissions from gasoline and diesel engine vehicles during the winter months in our engine testing building. KW - Air quality KW - Cold starts (Driving) KW - Cold weather KW - Exhaust gases KW - Frigid regions KW - Motor Vehicle Emission Simulator (MOVES) KW - Poisons KW - Pollutants UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1328492 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01541691 TI - The Stormwater Pavement Interface in Cold Climates AB - This project relates to the second research thrust area of 'managing stormwater runoff in cold climate through improved training, monitoring, advanced technology and pervious concrete'. Many stakeholders such as the City of Spokane, Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT), Washington State University (WSU), and similar agencies and communities in Montana and Alaska are interested in using the low impact development technology of pervious concrete or other permeable pavements for managing stormwater quantity and quality. Paramount to their expanded application is researching some remaining questions, particularly with respect to cold climates. The two main issues for pervious concrete are its durability under the winter conditions and snow-removal activities, and the impact of storing water for extended periods of time under the permeable pavements and then this water's impact on the neighboring pavements/soils. This second issue is particularly important for regions with significant frost depths or repeated freeze/thaw conditions. The objectives are to: (1) install soil moisture and temperature sensors under traditional pavements/soils next to permeable pavements in order to estimate capillary action levels and freeze-thaw or subsurface ice formation under various draindown and weather conditions; (2) monitor the surface conditions of the permeable pavement placements and neighboring traditional pavements with respect to raveling, frost heave and pavement condition indices. And perform ancillary investigations into hydrological functionality such as surface infiltration rates. KW - Alaska KW - Freeze thaw durability KW - Frigid regions KW - Montana KW - Permeability KW - Pervious soils KW - Runoff KW - Snow removal KW - Soil water KW - Temperature sensors KW - Washington (State) UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1328491 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01541220 TI - Modeling Impacts of Cold Climates on Vehicle Emissions AB - This project relates to the research thrust area of 'environmental impact assessment,' specifically the impact of cold climates on vehicle exhausts emissions. Motor vehicles emit pollutants that are harmful to human. Emissions are thought to be elevated during engine cold starts. During winter, low-lying temperature inversion can trap vehicle emissions near the surface, leading to significantly elevated pollutant concentrations. Despite the importance, vehicle emissions data for cold climates are sparse and the accuracy of vehicle emissions model parameterizations for cold climates is not known. The goal of this project is to improve ability of the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) Motor Vehicle Emission Simulator (MOVES) model to simulate cold start emissions in cold climates. KW - Cold starts (Driving) KW - Environmental impacts KW - Exhaust gases KW - Frigid regions KW - Motor Vehicle Emission Simulator (MOVES) KW - Pollutants KW - Winter UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1328336 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01572498 TI - Development of Rapid PCC Pavement Repair Materials and Construction Techniques AB - The proposed project will investigate cost-effective, rapid pavement repair techniques that can reduce cost and duration. Two types of concrete materials are proposed to be investigated in this project, including adaptive rheology concrete, and crack-free early strength concrete for rapid pavement repair. Reducing the construction duration and enhancing early age and long term performance, is the key solution for decreasing both the direct and indirect costs. The first focus of this research is rapid full-depth repair (FDR) using crack-free early strength concrete. Portland cement concrete pavements (PCCP) exhibiting severe distress such as transverse cracks and shattered slabs and corner breaks require FDR. The distress are caused by inadequate slab length and deficient slab thickness (design issues), concrete with high coefficient of thermal expansion or modulus (materials issues), or non-uniform or insufficient base support (construction issues). The full-depth repair involves removing damaged area of the slab and placing full-depth pavement with tie bar in longitudinal joints and dowel bar in transverse joints. Due to the opening requirement of the pavement to traffic in few days after placing repair concrete, it is essential to achieve high early strength in repair concrete. To promote early age strength and setting, low water to cementitious materials ratio (w/cm) with high content of type III cement are common in rapid repair. Drying shrinkage, autogeneous shrinkage, and high heat of hydration are observed in the repair materials. The gradients of shrinkage and temperature though the thickness of repair concrete with the restraints of surrounding old concrete pavement can cause premature cracking at the surface (Shin, 2000). Conventional curing methods using curing compounds and cover are not sufficient to prevent the cracking in repaired pavement. In this research, several methods will be considered to minimize stresses caused by shrinkage and temperature changes. Internal curing can reduce substantial autogeneous shrinkage at early age and increase long term compressive strength in high-performance blended cement mortars (Bentz, 2007). Internal curing using the light weight aggregate (LWA), recycled concrete aggregate (RCA), expanded slate (shale), and superabsorbent polymer will be investigated. The effects of absorption and deception capacity of the aggregate with the size of materials will be investigated. Using synthetic fiber and SRA of repair concrete is the next method to consider. The research findings in the first approach on the SCC will be considered to enhance compaction of repair concrete at the bottom and side of the repairing area. The second approach is to develop flowable concrete with adaptive rheological properties to be used repair patching. The main problems associated to repair work are bonding between the repair material and the substrate and differences in shrinkage or thermal changes, leading to cracks and preferential paths for water intrusion. Based on the above methodology, the use of SRAs, expansive agents and fibers in SCC can be investigated. The advantage of the expansive agents is that shrinkage is fully compensated, while the flowability of SCC result in a better bonding with the substrate, as no air gets entrapped between the two layers. The absence of consolidation can further enhance the bonding between the substrate and the repair material. Due to vibration, water is drawn near the interface, creating a weaker bond, similar to the interface transition zone (ITZ) for coarse aggregates in concrete. Due to the increasing amount of paste and the cementitious materials content in SCC mixtures, shrinkage and cracking potential will be an issue compared to the conventional concrete mixtures (Lomboy et al. 2011). It is required to focus on optimization of mix design in terms of the paste content, Portland cement content, w/cm, and incorporation of proper types and amounts of shrinkage reducing admixtures (SRAs) and fibers to decrease the shrinkage and control the cracking potential in hardened concrete. The cost-effectiveness will be achieved by optimizing the SCC mix design. One key component in this optimization procedure is the granular skeleton formed by the aggregates. Cost-effective SCC requires an appropriate aggregate grain size distribution to minimize paste content. With this appropriate grain size distribution, the cost of the concrete can be reduced, as well as the shrinkage potential. Based on developed theories on particle packing in concrete, optimized grain size distributions can be created with locally available materials. KW - Concrete pavements KW - Cracking KW - Heat of hydration KW - Lightweight aggregates KW - Portland cement concrete KW - Rheological properties KW - Self compacting concrete KW - Shrinkage KW - Water cement ratio UR - http://recast.mst.edu/projects/developmentofrapidpccpavementrepairmaterials/ UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1364462 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01560403 TI - Research, Education, and Development (RED): Examining Characteristics of Roadway Infastructure in Various 3D Visualization Modes AB - Utilizing enhanced visualization in transportation planning and design gained popularity in the last decade. Starting with a relatively small proof-of-concept project, overall plans for this project eventually are as follows: (1) Utilize crash data to identify three types of intersections with high crash rates; (2) Develop 3D models for the intersections; (3) Use VirtuTrace, a virtual reality simulation engine developed by the Principal Investigator (PI), to present full-scale, interactive simulations for the intersections, where designers can change various characteristics of the intersections and road conditions in real time, with the simulation including interactive traffic elements, such as various types of vehicles, traveling paths, and speeds;(4) Identify a group of experts and use a focus-group approach to examine the intersections for safety deficiencies; and (5) Collect data and compare the data between the two modes of visualizations. Work with the Iowa State University Construction Engineering Highway Design course instructor on developing educational modules that utilize the developments. KW - Crash data KW - Crash rates KW - Driver education KW - High risk locations KW - Highway design KW - Highway safety KW - Intersections KW - Real time information KW - Visualization UR - http://www.intrans.iastate.edu/mtc/index.cfm/research/project/project/-32259692 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1350441 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01536616 AU - Wayson, Roger L AU - MacDonald, John M AU - Martin, Anjoli AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Florida Department of Transportation TI - On-Board Sound Intensity (OBSI) Study: Phase 2 PY - 2014/05/15/Final Report SP - 145p AB - This is a continuation effort of previous research (Modeling of Quieter Pavement in Florida) and as such is a sister report to the previous final report. Both research efforts pertain to the noise created at the tire/pavement interface, which continues to gather considerable interest because of the potential benefits and a general desire by the public for quieter highways. A short review of important information is included from the Phase 1 report. Key findings from both reports (Phase 1 and Phase 2) are included and a detailed examination of the collected data is included. Additionally, the overall equipment is described as well as data collection procedures. KW - Data collection KW - Florida KW - On Board Sound Intensity KW - Rolling contact KW - Sound intensity KW - Testing equipment KW - Tire/pavement noise UR - http://www.fdot.gov/research/Completed_Proj/Summary_SMO/FDOT-BDT06-rpt.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/52000/52500/52540/FDOT-BDT06-rpt.pdf?utm_source=Govdelivery&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=TRB UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1320966 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01535085 TI - High-Volume Recycled Materials for Sustainable Pavement Construction AB - Given the increasing rate of demolition, it is essential to effectively reuse demolition waste in order to conserve non-renewable natural resources. Decreasing natural resources, as well as increasing problems with waste management, ecological hazards, landfill limitations and increasing distances between the natural resources and consumption markets, support the idea of recycled wastes to be used for new concrete production. The reduction in carbon footprint by the use of recycled materials is becoming a key solution to decrease the total environmental impact related to construction industry. The proposed study aims at developing sustainable concrete materials for infrastructure applications. The main idea is to incorporate high volume of recycled materials in concrete production (at least 50% of the mass of solids) to reduce cost and decrease carbon footprint without mitigating performance and service life. The main emphasis for this concrete is its use in pavement construction. Recycled materials include both coarse and fine recycled concrete aggregate (RCA), supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs), fillers, glass powder, and alternative binders. The study will evaluate fresh and hardened properties and durability aspects of such novel "green concrete" material. The study will explore the feasibility of using these recycled materials in single lift and 2 lift-concrete pavement (2LCP) construction systems. The study will also explore other materials systems such as controlled low strength materials (CLSM) that utilize high volume of recycled fine materials. Field implementation will be carried out to investigate in-situ performance of the proposed concrete in different geographic locations in the United States (Illinois and Oklahoma). The final scope of the project and selection of field demonstration sites will be evaluated with other investigators as well as government and private partners interested in this project. The project will also evaluate life cycle cost analysis (LCCA) in order to determine the economic impact and environmental benefits of using such eco-friendly materials in infrastructure applications KW - Concrete pavements KW - Durability KW - Illinois KW - Life cycle analysis KW - Life cycle costing KW - Natural resources KW - Oklahoma KW - Recycled materials KW - Road construction KW - Sustainable development UR - http://recast.mst.edu/projects/high-volumerecycledmaterialsforsustainablepav/ UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1320954 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01535081 TI - Economical and Crack-Free High Performance Concrete AB - The aim of the project proposed as part of the RE-CAST effort is to develop a new generation of high-performance concrete (HPC) that has relatively low binder content and low risk of cracking. Such concrete is intended for pavement construction and cast-in-place bridge elements to secure greater service life. Two types of HPC-AR are targeted, as follows: (1) environmentally friendly concrete for pavement construction (Eco-Pave-Crete); (2) environmentally friendly concrete for bridge decks and transportation infrastructure construction (Eco-Bridge-Crete). The Eco-Bridge-Crete will be designed with different workability levels to facilitate construction operations and reduce labor and cost. KW - Binder content KW - Bridge decks KW - Cast in place concrete KW - Cracking KW - High performance concrete KW - Road construction KW - Service life UR - http://recast.mst.edu/projects/economicalandcrack-freehpc/ UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1320950 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01530896 AU - Song, Dongyoon AU - He, Xiaozheng AU - Peeta, Srinivas AU - NEXTRANS AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Field Deployment to Quantify the Value of Real-time Information by Integrating Driver Routing Decisions and Route Assignment Strategies PY - 2014/05/15/Final Report AB - Advanced Traveler Information Systems (ATIS) have been proposed as a mechanism to generate and distribute real-time travel information to drivers for the purpose of improving travel experience represented by experienced travel time and enhancing the performance of the vehicular traffic networks. From the system operator’s perspective, it is desired that a driver would fully comply with such information. Traditionally, the prediction of system performance under real-time information provision has been studied using dynamic traffic assignment (DTA) models in which individuals are assigned to time-dependent routes from their origins or en-route locations to their destinations so as to satisfy some system-wide objective and/or individual user level constraints. However, these models primarily focus on prescribing the traffic flow propagation robustly, while the role of driver behavior in the evolution of network dynamics has largely been subsumed by making potentially restrictive a priori assumptions, which include one or more of the following: (i) travel time is the only basis for route choice decision-making, (ii) users are behaviorally homogeneous, and/or (iii) pre-specified behavior classes are available whose fractions are known in the ambient traffic stream. In this context, a comprehensive modeling framework is proposed to understand individual drivers’ behavioral responses in route choice under real-time travel information provision based on driving simulator experiment data. An interactive driving simulator experiment is developed to collect various data related to driving and decision-making with real-time travel information. The associated surveys are also precisely designed to measure drivers’ perception of the information and evaluation of the travel experience. KW - Advanced traveler information systems KW - Behavior KW - Decision making KW - Drivers KW - Driving simulators KW - Real time information KW - Route choice UR - http://www.purdue.edu/discoverypark/nextrans/assets/pdfs/058PY03%20Final%20Report.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/52000/52100/52140/058PY03_Final_Report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1313907 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01529393 AU - Lee, Choungryeol AU - He, Xiaozheng AU - Peeta, Srinivas AU - Chu, Chih-Peng AU - NEXTRANS AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Highway Reservation System Design and Its Application to Freight Transportation PY - 2014/05/15/Final Report SP - 46p AB - Congestion and safety associated with freight trucks are key issues that arise in the context of highway transportation, especially in the heavily-traveled commercial corridors. To address these issues, truck-only lanes for freight trucks have been proposed as a solution to improve the productivity and reduce congestion, safety hazards and emissions. Truck-only lanes combined with a reservation system can potentially enable efficient operations and reliable demand management to guarantee high quality of service. In this regard, a reservation system with a real options approach can address key issues associated with the user-pays principle (i.e., the beneficiaries of truck-only lanes pay the toll) and fair reservation fees for both highway operators and the users for truck-only lanes. This research seeks to develop an option-pricing mechanism consistent with the highway system’s operation and to formulate a closed-form pricing-function on reservation options on truck-only lanes to guarantee a threshold level of service, given the vulnerability associated with system management failure. KW - Freight transportation KW - Highways KW - Rates, fares and tolls KW - Reservations KW - Travel demand management KW - Truck lanes KW - Truck traffic KW - User charges UR - http://www.purdue.edu/discoverypark/nextrans/assets/pdfs/057PY03%20Final%20Report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1312524 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01529452 AU - Peters, Jeffrey C AU - Han, En-Pei AU - Kumar, Amit AU - Peeta, Srinivas AU - Delaurentis, Daniel AU - NEXTRANS AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Incorporating High Speed Passenger Rail into a Multimodal Network Model for Improved Regional Transportation Planning PY - 2014/05/14/Final Report SP - 60p AB - With increasing demand and rising fuel costs, both travel time and cost of intercity passenger transportation are becoming increasingly significant. Around the world, high-speed rail (HSR) is seen as a way to mitigate the risk of volatile petroleum prices while alleviating demand on highways and at airports. Ridership is the critical element in determining the viability of a large capital, long-term transportation investment in terms of costs, revenue, and the resulting societal impacts. This research provides a systematic, consistent methodology for analyzing system wide modal ridership. The proposed methodology can be used to estimate the modal ridership under the proposed HSR network scenarios. The study analyzes the potential for high-speed rail as a part of the existing multimodal transportation system in a region in terms of ridership. Although this study does not explicitly consider capital costs, capital investment (e.g., network design and HSR speed), along with exogenous demographic, technological, economic, and policy trends, are used to project ridership over time. Population, fuel efficiency, HSR speed, and fuel price trends are the important variables considered for this study. The application of the methodology is two-fold, and the modeling approach makes a case for a fundamental shift from the current perspective of HSR viability. First, a user and community impact assessment (i.e., travel time, safety, and vehicle operating cost savings) of HSR is conducted in the same manner as traditional transportation system evaluation to provide comparative conclusions regarding intercity transportation alternatives. Emissions and energy consumption impacts are also considered due to the increasing national relevance of environmental sustainability and energy security. Second, the model presented in this study analyzes both ridership and impacts within the same systematic framework to assess the long-term impacts on the individual transportation modes, total system metrics, and efficacy of alternate policies. Although the methodology is extendable and modular to incorporate any mode in any region, experiments are conducted for the Midwest corridor in the United States. Average HSR speed is tested to demonstrate the model's ability to capture the sensitivity of ridership to a specific design consideration. This study represents an important step toward a consistent, comprehensive economic analysis of HSR in the United States KW - Economic analysis KW - Fuel consumption KW - High speed rail KW - Multimodal transportation KW - Pollutants KW - Population KW - Regional transportation KW - Ridership KW - Speed UR - http://www.purdue.edu/discoverypark/nextrans/assets/pdfs/055PY03-%20Final%20Report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1312522 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01529361 AU - Peters, Jeffrey C AU - Kumar, Amit AU - Zheng, Hong AU - Agrawal, Shubham AU - Peeta, Srinivas AU - NEXTRANS AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Integrated Framework to Capture the Interdependencies between Transportation and Energy Sectors due to Policy Decisions PY - 2014/05/14/Final Report SP - 38p AB - Currently, transportation and energy sectors are developed, managed, and operated independently of one another. Due to the non-renewable nature of fossil fuels, energy security has evolved into a strategic goal for the United States. The transportation sector accounts for about 30% of the energy consumed by the U.S. As the emergent and strategic linkages between the two sectors are becoming increasingly apparent from a qualitative perspective, there is an evolving consensus that national, regional, and local policy goals may not be achievable completely or effectively by focusing on one sector at a time. For example, the increase in the market penetration of electric vehicle has brought many advantages and challenges along with it on both transportation as well as the energy sector. Such challenges for transportation sector include reduction of highway maintenance budgets due to a reduction in gasoline sales, and that for energy sector include increased power demand during specific times of the day, thereby affecting daily power generation operations. This motivates the need to develop an analytical framework to capture the interdependencies between these two infrastructure systems. This study provides a system-of-systems based infrastructure computable general equilibrium framework for analyzing the interdependencies between the transportation and energy sectors. KW - Electric vehicles KW - Electricity KW - Energy KW - Energy resources KW - Policy KW - Systems analysis KW - Transportation KW - Transportation planning UR - http://www.purdue.edu/discoverypark/nextrans/assets/pdfs/079PY04-Final%20Report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1312519 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01529303 AU - Song, Dongyoon AU - He, Xiaozheng AU - Peeta, Srinivas AU - Zhou, Xuesong AU - NEXTRANS AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Integrated Deployment Architecture for Predictive Real-Time Traffic Routing Incorporating Human Factors Considerations PY - 2014/05/14/Final Report SP - 48p AB - As Advanced Traveler Information Systems (ATIS) are being more widely accessed by drivers, understanding drivers’ behavioral responses to real-time travel information through ATIS and its consequential benefits are important to the widespread deployment of ATIS technologies. Traditionally, the benefits of real-time travel information have been explored in two dimensions: (i) improving personal travel experience by reducing travel time and its uncertainty in drivers’ decision-making, and (ii) enhancing the performance of the entire traffic network by motivating drivers to use less congested routes. However, despite the strengthened effectiveness of real-time travel information with the recent increased deployment of ATIS through various sources, the increasing amount of information from multiple sources may cause extra stresses in perception of the information in relation to drivers’ cognitive ability and the particular travel context. In addition, the psychological benefits from the information in relation to the better knowledge or reassured feeling have not been addressed in the literature. In this context, this study proposes an analytical framework to understand the comprehensive benefits of real-time travel information with consideration of the qualitative and cognitive limitations in the processing procedure. Human factor issues play a critical role in the framework, especially when multiple and heterogeneous sources of information exist. The proposed framework from the psychological aspect allows systematic analysis of the benefits of real-time information that include conventional values such as travel time savings as well as the qualitative and psychological attributes that affect behavioral responses to the real-time information. KW - Advanced traveler information systems KW - Behavior KW - Cognition KW - Drivers KW - Human factors KW - Human information processing KW - Psychological aspects KW - Real time information UR - http://www.purdue.edu/discoverypark/nextrans/assets/pdfs/080PY04%20Final%20Report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1312520 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01554441 AU - Pickrell, Don AU - Pace, David AU - Wishart, Jacob AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - FHWA Travel Analysis Framework: Development of VMT Forecasting Models for Use by the Federal Highway Administration PY - 2014/05/12 SP - 31p AB - This document details the process that the Volpe National Transportation Systems Center (Volpe) used to develop travel forecasting models for the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). The purpose of these models is to allow FHWA to forecast future changes in passenger and freight vehicle use (as measured by the number of vehicle-miles traveled, or VMT) that is likely to occur in response to predicted demographic trends and changes in future economic conditions. These models also provide estimates of the volumes of gasoline, diesel, and other fuels consumed by motor vehicles, which are derived from its projections of future vehicle travel and fuel economy. Forecasts of VMT developed using this model will inform and support the development of future Federal transportation planning and policy. KW - Forecasting KW - Methodology KW - Passenger vehicles KW - Travel demand KW - Trucks KW - U.S. Federal Highway Administration KW - Vehicle miles of travel UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/54000/54400/54493/vmt_model_dev.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1342279 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01535811 AU - Miller, Bruno AU - Johnson, Donovan AU - Thompson, Terry AU - Rosenberg, Frank L AU - Driver, Judith AU - Biscardi, Gerard P AU - Mohtadi, Madalina K AU - Mohtadi, Nabil J AU - Metron Aviation, Incorporated AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Aviation Administration TI - R&D Control Study: Plan for Future Jet Fuel Distribution Quality Control and Description of Fuel Properties Catalog PY - 2014/05/09 SP - 67p AB - The main objective of this study is to investigate and provide recommendations for any unique quality control requirements that the production and distribution of alternative jet fuels may require, ultimately producing a quality control handbook for alternative jet fuel entrants and others along the supply chain. As experience is gained with the production and distribution of alternative jet fuels, the quality control of those fuels can be examined relative to this handbook by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) Aviation Fuels Subcommittee and by stakeholders that are engaged in the supply chain that produces, distributes, and uses jet fuel. To reach the objective stated above, this study will a) highlight best practices for maintaining quality control of jet fuel, b) identify gaps in current quality and performance procedures that may emerge with the introduction of alternative fuels, c) suggest areas for improvement in current jet fuel quality control practices to accommodate the introduction of alternative fuels, and d) provide recommendations for an improved method of collection of fuel property and quality measurements. KW - Alternate fuels KW - Best practices KW - Jet engine fuels KW - Jet propelled aircraft KW - Quality control KW - Recommendations UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/51000/51800/51805/DOT-VNTSC-FAA-14-11.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1317674 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01543565 TI - A Bio-Wicking System to Prevent Frost Heave in Alaskan Pavements AB - Frost heave and thaw weakening cause extensive damage to roads and airfields in Alaska. Available data and field observations at the Beaver Slide of the Dalton Highway have clearly indicated that H2Ri wicking fabric has successfully eliminated the frost boil problem in the test section. At its current design, it is required that H2Ri must be exposed at the roadside so that water can be vaporized to generate a hydraulic gradient to maintain constant water transport. This caused two concerns: (1) the H2Ri will degrade due to sunlight exposure, (2) when water is vaporized at the road shoulder, salt left in the H2Ri can potentially clog the microscopic water transport channels and make H2Ri lose function, and (3) maintenance could be a problem. This proposed research is to investigate the possibility of a bio-wicking system to overcome the above two concerns. It can help engineers properly design the H2Ri wicking fabric for pavement structure. By dehydrating the pavement structure and keeping the moisture content in the base course materials low, we can significantly improve the performance of the pavement structure using the same materials or even materials with lower quality. KW - Alaska KW - Freeze thaw durability KW - Frost heaving KW - Hydraulics KW - Pavement design KW - Pavement distress KW - Pavement performance KW - Road shoulders KW - Wicking UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1331162 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01594678 TI - Performance of Fiber-Reinforced Self-Consolidating Concrete for Repair of Bridge Sub-Structures and Fiber-Reinforced Super-Workable Concrete for Infrastructure Construction AB - The proposed study seeks to investigate key engineering and structural properties of fiber-reinforced self-consolidating concrete (FR-SCC) and fiber-reinforced super workable concrete (FR-SWC) for infrastructure repair and construction. FR-SCC is targeted for repair of sub-structure elements, while the FR-SWC is targeted for construction operations. The FR-SWC requires some consolidation and can be used in less congested structural elements where this consolidation with SCC or FR-SCC is not required. The FR-SWC is easier to produce than FR-SCC and is more cost-effective for use in infrastructure construction. However, the FR-SWC is not adequate for repair applications that often involve casting concrete in restricted spacing necessitating self-consolidation characteristics. FR-SWC can be used in precast as well as cast-in-place girders, cast-in-place piers and piles, and other bridge elements, including abutment walls. In this investigation, several types of fibers will be investigated to select FR-SCC and FR-SWC that can yield superior performance. The expected result from this study will be guidelines and performance-based specifications for the evaluation, selection, and specification of FR-SCC for infrastructure repair of bridge sub-structures and FR-SWC for the construction of bridge substructure and superstructure elements. KW - Construction KW - Girder bridges KW - Infrastructure KW - Self compacting concrete KW - Structural analysis KW - Structural members KW - Superstructures UR - http://recast.mst.edu/projects/fr-sccandfr-swc/ UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1402199 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01567218 TI - Developing and Validating a Model of Left-Turn Crashes to Support Safer Design and Operations AB - During 2012, nearly 3300 crashes involving a vehicle turning left into oncoming traffic occurred in Minnesota, including more than 1100 fatal and personal injury crashes. Many agencies, including the Minnesota Department of Transportation, are interested in using a flashing yellow arrow to implement within-day changes in left-turn (LT) treatment, but this requires being able to predict how the risk of LT crashes varies at particular intersections, as traffic characteristics change during a day. This project has inter-related objectives: (1) to contribute empirical findings regarding LT gap acceptance, the trajectories followed by LT drivers, and a the behavior of drivers involved in LT crashes, and (2) to develop and validate a simulation model of LT crashes that could ultimately be used to predict the safety-related effects of design or operational changes. To accomplish these, the researchers reduced video data of drivers making permitted left turns and characterized both LT gap acceptance and LT turning trajectories. These findings were then incorporated in a prototype LT crash simulation model and the model's predictions were compared to an empirical model of LT crash risk developed in a recently completed MnDOT project. The project also developed methods for quantifying uncertainty in the reconstruction of planar impact crashes and for estimating driver behavior variables from pre-crash data collected from event data recorders. KW - Crash reconstruction KW - Fatalities KW - Gap acceptance KW - Highway design KW - Intersections KW - Left turns KW - Minnesota KW - Simulation KW - Traffic crashes UR - http://www.roadwaysafety.umn.edu/research/search/projectdetail.html?id=2015021 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1359189 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01567217 TI - Novel Collision-Avoidance System for Bicycles AB - More than 48,000 bicyclist-motorist crashes occur each year in the US. Many of these crashes occur because the motorist either does not see the bicyclist, or the bicyclist behaves in an unpredictable manner. This project is therefore developing and evaluating a sensor suite for a bicycle that can predict imminent bicycle-motorist crashes and provide an audio warning of the bicycle's presence to a motorist by sounding a loud horn. The sensor system utilizes a novel sensor fusion algorithm and a combination of inexpensive sonar and laser sensors. The two types of sensing devices have complementary features that together can provide a robust reliable sensor system for imminent collision prediction. The ability of the sensor system to address rear and side crashes are being evaluated, as these are among the most common maneuvers in bicyclist-motorist crashes. A bicycle instrumented with the required sensors and electronics will be used for extensive experimental evaluation of the developed system. The tests are being conducted with a variety of real cars at real-world intersections close to the University of Minnesota campus. If the system is demonstrated to work reliably and its performance is judged to be effective, it could be commercialized into an inexpensive product sold to bicycle riders, as the barriers to commercialization are low. KW - Bicycle crashes KW - Crash avoidance systems KW - Crash sensors KW - Crashes KW - Intersections KW - Traffic crashes KW - United States KW - Warning systems UR - http://www.roadwaysafety.umn.edu/research/search/projectdetail.html?id=2015020 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1359188 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01566140 TI - Analyzing Willingness to Improve the Resiliency of New York City's Transportation System AB - Hurricane Sandy revealed the higher-risk vulnerability to natural hazards of civil infrastructure systems in coastal megacities such as New York. In particular, critical deficiencies in the NYC metropolitan area's transportation system emerged after Sandy. Unfortunately, experts predict that future sea level rise and storms will exacerbate the problems caused by these deficiencies. There are thus several challenges to improving strength and resilience of transportation systems. In particular, preparedness, survival, and recovery require the identification of adequate funding sources to collect revenue for public investments to improve resilience of the systems under threat. Traditional sources of funding for both recovering from disasters and preventing future damages are not only limited, but also do not account for benefit transfers of the externalities induced by the provision of resilient infrastructure. In principle, property owners should be willing to pay an amount equal to the perceived benefit, if this positive externality is internalized by them following some pricing mechanism. Monetizing these benefit transfers can be used as a tool not only to leverage scarce public resources, but also to achieve a socially optimal resource allocation. A key element is then the estimation of the willingness to pay for risk reductions, because this measure can be exploited to determine the cost share the community is willing to cover to secure infrastructure systems as well as to receive the benefits from minimizing potential damage. There is an open research question on how to properly express risks of extreme events, and how respondents of discrete choice experiments process information that involves infrequent but extremely damaging events. This proposal requests funds to determine 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 structural choice model will be derived aiming at a more general representation of decision-making under risk and uncertainty, using non-compensatory decision rules to determine the community's willingness to pay for improvements in the resiliency to extreme events of the transportation system in New York City. Choice microdata will be collected in coastal communities in the NYC area, while aiming at advancing the state-of-the-art in choice modeling for addressing different attitudes toward risk. KW - Disaster preparedness KW - Financing KW - Hurricane Sandy, 2012 KW - Infrastructure KW - New York (New York) KW - Resilience (Materials) KW - Risk assessment KW - Security UR - http://www.utrc2.org/research/projects/analyzing-willingness-improve-resiliency UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1357228 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01560402 TI - How Firm Size Affects Safety Performance in the U.S. Motor Carrier Industry 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 United States (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 - Businesses KW - Crash rates KW - Crash reports KW - Monitoring KW - Motor carriers KW - Truck crashes KW - Truck drivers UR - http://www.intrans.iastate.edu/mtc/index.cfm/research/project/project/670985593 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1350440 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01558308 TI - Understanding Transit Finance: An Analysis of Transit Funding Around the World AB - Cities around the world rely on publicly funded mass transit. Yet the characteristics of local transit are quite different from place to place. Transit systems vary greatly in network size and structure, vehicle technologies, ridership characteristics, institutional structures and financial support. While scholars have largely focused on the physical and ridership characteristics of transit, there has been little comparative work that examines the structures of finance and subsidy for the systems. This proposed research seeks to fill this gap in knowledge by collecting and analyzing financial and subsidy structures for mass transit systems in the United States and around the world. In this project sources of subsidy for operating and capital expenditures will be identified and analyzed. Nearly all transit operations globally are subsidized to achieve social, environmental and congestion reduction goals. Yet existing subsidies for transit are strained as providers face rising operating costs, including higher gas prices, increased health care expenses, paratransit requirements and demands for low-revenue services, plus political and popular pressure to maintain low fares and expand service. In the United States, operating subsidies average about 65 percent of operating costs, and just over 50 percent of operating costs weighted by passenger miles [1]. However, there is substantial variation in the size and types of subsidy across regions and modes. Agencies try to fill gaps in operating and capital budgets through a multitude of revenue streams, bonds and contracted services. Ultimately, funding for public mass transit is the United States is left in a state of unsustainable permanent chaos. KW - Financial analysis KW - Financing KW - Government funding KW - International KW - Operating costs KW - Paratransit services KW - Public transit KW - Subsidies KW - Transit operating agencies UR - http://www.utrc2.org/research/projects/understanding-transit-finance-analysis UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1347746 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01552812 TI - Optimizing Work Zones for Highway Maintenance with Floating Car Data (FCD) AB - The State Department of Transportation (DOT) must develop an adequate traffic operations management and congestion mitigation plan for every roadway maintenance and construction project based on the work zone length and schedule. Therefore, it is critical to obtain accurate and reliable estimates of traffic impacts associated with pertinent maintenance and construction projects, and the corresponding roadway capacity reductions. The current analytical models used by DOT were developed based on traditional volume/capacity formulae and deterministic traffic queuing modeling method. The shortcomings of these methods often result in inaccurate estimates of traffic delay and the associated costs, which may be significantly improved by utilizing floating car data (FCD). The objective of this research project is to develop a methodology for integrating FCD into the traffic impact analysis model, and to formulate a mathematical model for optimizing work zone length and schedule on multilane highways via minimizing the total cost of transportation agencies, road users, and vehicle emissions. To achieve the objective, the work scope shall include: Review past studies and current practices on work zone scheduling and traffic control; Develop methods to estimates work zone related costs of agencies, road users, vehicle emissions, and fuel consumption and an optimization model considering road geometry, traffic volume, work zone length and schedule, and vehicle composition, which minimize the total cost; Identify a study site within NY/NJ metropolitan area and collect data, including road geometry, FCD (i.e. speed and travel time), and work zone related information; Conduct a case study to demonstrate the model applicability and explore the relationship between decision variables and model parameters; and Develop a final report to demonstrate optimal results and conclude research findings. KW - Floating car data KW - Highway operations KW - New Jersey KW - New York (New York) KW - Optimization KW - Queuing KW - Traffic control KW - Traffic impact analysis KW - Traffic volume KW - Travel time KW - Work zones UR - http://www.utrc2.org/research/projects/optimizing-work-zones-highway-maintenance-floating-car-data-fcd UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1342620 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01543443 TI - Bridge Health Monitoring Using a Machine-Learning Strategy AB - This project intends to cast the structural health monitoring (SHM) problem within a statistical pattern recognition framework. Moreover, the project proposes to use techniques borrowed from speaker recognition, as this discipline deals with problems very similar to those addressed by structural health monitoring. In particular, the project is interested in speaker verification, which is the task of verifying whether the speaker is the individual he/she claims to be by analyzing his/her speech signal. It comes natural to expect that, if speaker recognition can recognize whether it is John or Jane who says the word "mom", using the same principles, it is possible to find out whether it is the healthy or the damaged bridge that provides that acceleration time history. The aim of this research is to treat these time histories as speech data and apply the speaker identification methods for open set and text independent recognition. KW - Bridges KW - Data collection KW - Machine vision KW - Monitoring KW - Speech recognition KW - Structural health monitoring UR - http://cait.rutgers.edu/cait/research/bridge-health-monitoring-using-machine-learning-strategy UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1330899 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01530318 TI - The Effect of Roadside Vegetation and Clear Zone Design on Driver Behavior AB - Roadside vegetation provides numerous environmental and psychological benefits to drivers. Previous research has shown that natural landscapes can effectively lower crash rates and cause less stress and frustration to the driver. However, the same vegetation has the potential to increase the severity of resulting crashes. For example, run-off-the-road crashes resulting in a collision with a tree are twice as likely to result in a fatality. The nature of this contradiction underscores the need to examine behavioral and safety effects associated with the placement of vegetation within proximity to the roadway. This proposed research study will explore the relationship between the clear zone design and the presence of roadside vegetation on driver speed, lateral positioning, and hazard anticipation in a driving simulator environment. Additionally, field data and a crash data analysis will be integrated to validate the findings of the driving simulator study. KW - Behavior KW - Crash data KW - Drivers KW - Driving simulators KW - Fatalities KW - Ran off road crashes KW - Roadside flora KW - Trees KW - Vegetation control UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1315837 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01560964 AU - Lewis, Kristin AU - Porter, Read AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Aviation Administration TI - Biofuels and invasive species risks: assessing and managing risks through feedstock selection and cultivation strategies PY - 2014/05//Final Report SP - 92p AB - Biofuels are being pursued for their potential greenhouse gas emissions benefits, among other reasons. In order to maximize productivity, avoid food-fuel conflicts, and minimize greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, many “advanced” biofuel feedstock crops, such as those desired by the aviation community, are under consideration based on traits, such as high biomass and/or seed production, tolerance of marginal cultivation conditions, and short generation times, that may also be predictors of potential invasiveness risk. Biofuel-related invasion risks can be mitigated through careful feedstock crop selection and cultivation techniques developed from the invasion science literature. Existing voluntary best practices and some state and federal regulatory requirements in the United States recommend and/or require the use of such risk mitigation strategies. However, other policies and programs allow or provide incentives for biofuel production without conditions requiring the use of these strategies. This study synthesizes information on the scientific knowledge of invasive species predictors and their use (or absence) in voluntary codes and United States regulatory frameworks and incentive programs. The study highlights the existing tools and approaches for assessing invasion risk and avoiding the introduction and spread of invasive species as a result of biofuel feedstock cultivation. A well-coordinated combination of species restrictions, biosecurity requirements, and incentives for selection of less risky biofuel crops may effectively balance the desire for increased biofuel production while minimizing invasion risk. KW - Biomass fuels KW - Cultivation KW - Invasive plants KW - Policy KW - Regulations KW - Risk analysis KW - United States UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/54000/54400/54445/Lewis_and_Porter_2014_12.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1342203 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01555806 AU - Rojas, Edyson AU - Barr, Paul J AU - Halling, Marv W 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 - Bridge Response Due to Temperature Variations PY - 2014/05//Final Report SP - 137p AB - In order to more accurately quantify the behavior and degradation of bridges throughout their service life, the Federal Highway Administration launched the Long-Term Bridge Performance Program. As part of this program an I-girder, integral abutment bridge near Perry, Utah and a two span, box-girder bridge south of Sacramento, California were instrumented with foil strain gauges, velocity transducers, vibrating wire strain gauges, thermocouples, and tiltmeters. In this research study, data from the thermocouples were used to calculate average bridge temperature and compare it to the recommended design criteria in accordance to the 2010 LRFD Bridge Design Specifications of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO). The design maximum average bridge temperature defined in the 2010 LRFD Bridge Design Specifications was exceeded for both bridges. The accuracy of the 1991 Kuppa Method and the 1976 Black and Emerson Method to estimate the average bridge temperature based on ambient temperature was studied and a new method that was found to be more accurate was proposed. Long-term predictions of average bridge temperature for both bridges were calculated. Temperature gradients were measured and compared to the 2010 AASHTO LRFD Bridge Design Specifications and the 1978 Priestley Method. Calculated flexural stresses as a function of maximum positive and negative temperature gradients were found to exceed the service limit state established in the 2010 AASHTO LRFD Bridge Design Specifications in the case of the California bridge. KW - AASHTO LRFD Bridge Design Specifications KW - Bending stress KW - Box girder bridges KW - Jointless bridges KW - Long-Term Bridge Performance Program KW - Perry (Utah) KW - Sacramento (California) KW - Temperature KW - Temperature gradients UR - https://cait.rutgers.edu/files/CAIT-UTC-034-final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1342955 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01544606 AU - Washer, Glenn AU - Brooks, Steven AU - Looten, Daniel W AU - Mid-America Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Nondestructive Evaluation Tools to Improve the Inspection, Fabrication and Repair of Bridges PY - 2014/05//Final Report SP - 46p AB - The goal of this research project in Nondestructive Evaluation (NDE) is to improve the safety and reliability of bridges through the exploration of three innovative technologies: (1) ultrasonic measurement of in-situ stress levels in gusset plates, (2) evaluation of ultrasonic testing (UT) and phased array testing, and (3) development of vehicle-mounted infrared thermography for bridge condition assessment. The first task investigated a methodology for nondestructive assessment of total stress levels in gusset plates to support safety analysis. This methodology utilizes the acoustoelastic effect to evaluate total stress levels by assessing the acoustic birefringence in the plate. The report describes exploratory testing to evaluate the utility of the approach as a potential tool for the field evaluation of gusset plate adequacy. The second task sought to identify the limitations associated with UT technologies and compare the results to the more recently developed phased array ultrasonic technologies. Various tests were developed to illustrate the limitations of both technologies. Currently, tests are being performed using UT and will be performed using phased array at a later date. In the third task, a flexible, portable platform for infrared thermography that enables the technology to be vehicle-mounted for scanning bridge decks, bridge soffits and tunnels at normal or close to normal traffic speeds was developed although it has not yet been field tested. KW - Bridges KW - Condition surveys KW - Gusset plates KW - Nondestructive tests KW - Phased arrays KW - Strain measurement KW - Structural health monitoring KW - Technological innovations KW - Thermographs KW - Ultrasonic tests UR - http://matc.unl.edu/assets/documents/matcfinal/Washer_NondestructiveEvaluationTechnologiesforBridgeInspection.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1331082 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01544539 AU - Soriano, Janice M AU - Ziebert, Jacci AU - Morales, Alfonso AU - National Center for Freight and Infrastructure Research and Education (CFIRE) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Cold Chain Food Distribution from the Driftless Area: Keys to Attaining Self-Reliance in the Circle City-Phase III PY - 2014/05//Final Report SP - 74p AB - In recent years, small- to mid-scale farms have increasingly emphasized the importance of branding and establishing the appropriate identity to enter the value-added market. Farms in the Driftless Area (mostly Southwest Wisconsin) are slowly developing a regional food system and their attempts to take advantage of its strategic location in supplying abundant, quality cold chain product to the metropolitan areas, recognized as the Circle City (Chicago to the Twin-Cities). A large proportion of Circle City’s food is imported from outside the Upper Midwest, while the Driftless area is capable of producing more food to meet the region’s needs. Farms specialize in small-scale and organic food production, but production must increase and producers must shift from direct marketing to intermediation in order to increase food supply from the area to the Circle City. At the same time, Driftless producers should continue and enhance their sustainable production methods and experiment with producing a more diverse array of food products; both of which are important dimensions to a self-reliant food system. This paper uses analyses of Transearch and ESRI ArcGIS Business Analyst to synthesize the supply-demand relationship of food products that the Driftless Area shares with the Circle City by quantifying the amount of cold chain food product that is transported on a regional level. This paper makes recommendations that small- to mid-scale farmers can follow to scale-up production and to enter wholesale markets by developing relationships between each other and logistics firms, and then developing and utilizing aggregation points, which reduce risk to the producers. KW - Farms KW - Market development KW - Metropolitan areas KW - Physical distribution KW - Recommendations KW - Supply chain management KW - Wisconsin UR - http://www.wistrans.org/cfire/documents/FR_0705.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1330898 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01543180 AU - Daddio, David AU - Rasmussen, Benjamin AU - Frazier, Jonathan AU - Simmons, Erica AU - Mejias, Luis AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service TI - Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge: Comprehensive Alternative Transportation Plan PY - 2014/05//Final Report SP - 183p AB - The Comprehensive Alternative Transportation Plan for Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge in southwestern Oklahoma analyzes a range of transportation and resource management challenges and documents a holistic set of alternative transportation strategies that the refuge can implement in the short, medium, and long term. The Plan consists of four interrelated products: a traffic analysis study, a pedestrian and bicycle resource guide, a multi-modal network alternatives analysis, and a transit assessment. KW - Alternatives analysis KW - Bicycling KW - Multimodal transportation KW - Pedestrians KW - Public transit KW - Recreation KW - Shuttle buses KW - Strategic planning KW - Traffic analysis KW - Transportation planning KW - Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/52000/52700/52788/DOT-VNTSC-FWS-14-01.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1329310 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01537438 AU - Luna, Ronaldo AU - Center for Transportation Infrastructure and Safety/NUTC program AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Effects of Road Construction Intensity and Operations on Rural Freeway Work Zone Capacity PY - 2014/05//Interim Report SP - 4p AB - Capacity has been defined and measured by many researchers. Capacity is dependent on many variables that can be broadly categorized as traffic, geometric and traffic control conditions. Capacity is also affected by construction type and its intensity on adjacent open traffic lanes. The effect on capacity is a function of vehicles moving in and out of the closed lanes of the work zone, and the presence of heavy construction vehicles. Construction activity and its intensity, however, are not commonly considered in estimating capacity of a highway lane. The main purpose of this project is to quantify the effects of construction type and intensity (e.g. maintenance, rehabilitation, reconstruction, and milling) on work zone capacity. The intensity of construction activity can be defined as the frequency of work zone vehicles ingress/egress from the open traffic lane, the presence of heavy construction vehicles like milling machines, etc., and the number of workers present at the work site. The objective will be to quantify the effects of construction type and its intensity on work zone capacity and to develop guidelines for the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) to estimate the specific operation type and intensity that will improve traffic flow and shorten the length of queues commonly associated with work zones. KW - Construction management KW - Freeways KW - Highway capacity KW - Missouri KW - Missouri Department of Transportation KW - Road construction KW - Rural areas KW - Work zone traffic control KW - Work zones UR - http://transportation.mst.edu/media/research/transportation/documents/R307.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1321494 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01537435 AU - Volz, Jeffery S AU - Gliha, Benjamin AU - Center for Transportation Infrastructure and Safety/NUTC program AU - Missouri Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Polyurethane Foam Infill for Fiber-Reinforced Polymer (FRP) Bridge Deck Panels PY - 2014/05//Final Report SP - 123p AB - The objective of the research was to develop, test, and evaluate fiber-reinforced, polyurethane (PU) foams to replace the costly honeycomb construction currently used to manufacture fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) bridge deck panels. Initially, the effort focused on developing an FRP sandwich panel to replace the precast, stay-in-place forms currently used to construct reinforced concrete bridge decks. However, during the course of the project, the research effort expanded to include full-depth bridge deck panels as well. This report documents the results of this study. The report is composed of eight chapters. Chapter 1 gives a brief introduction to the subject area, explains the necessity of this research, and also presents the objectives and scope of work of the investigation. Chapter 2 explains the PU foams selected for component testing and decisions made concerning which materials to move forward for further testing and evaluation. Chapter 3 details the small-scale sandwich panel testing program and results. Chapter 4 contains the stiffness and strength analysis of the small-scale panel test results, including recommendations on which FRP/PU foam combination to advance to the next phase. Chapter 5 presents the mid-scale sandwich panel testing program and results, which includes static, fatigue, and durability testing of the prototype FRP/PU foam sandwich panel. Chapter 6 details construction and testing of a prototype full-scale FRP/PU foam deck panel. Chapter 7 contains a summary of the research investigation as well as recommendations on moving forward. Finally, Chapter 8 contains supplementary information on many unique aspects of FRP bridge decks. KW - Bridge decks KW - Fiber reinforced polymers KW - Polyurethane foams KW - Sandwich panels KW - Stay-in-place forms KW - Testing UR - http://transportation.mst.edu/media/research/transportation/documents/R295%20-%20R302%20Final%20Report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1321495 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01534887 AU - Yu, Hua AU - Likos, William J AU - National Center for Freight and Infrastructure Research and Education (CFIRE) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Beneficial Use of Dredged Materials in Great Lakes Commercial Ports for Transportation Projects PY - 2014/05//Final Report SP - 66p AB - This report describes an effort to facilitate beneficial use of dredged materials (DM) from Great Lakes ports and harbors as an alternative construction material in transportation-related earthwork applications. 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 pulls together available information on potential applications for the use of DM in transportation earthwork projects, the required geotechnical properties of materials according to federal and state construction specifications, and the geotechnical laboratory and field test methods available to determine these properties. Representative geotechnical properties of DM from select Great Lakes locations are synthesized from available literature and the results of laboratory tests conducted on DM sampled from the Milwaukee confined disposal facility (CDF). Results are evaluated within the framework developed above to assess the suitability of unamended DM from each location for beneficial use in transportation construction. Based on the information obtained, material potentially sourced from these locations has limited direct use in its raw or unamended form. Review of general sediment types in harbors throughout the region, however, indicates that there may be large potential for beneficial use of DM because the sediment type from numerous harbors in the region is predominantly coarse-grained. Fine-grained materials are also a potential source of material if amended or stabilized with other materials (e.g., fly ash). Future effort should focus on laboratory evaluation of stabilized fine-grained DM, detailed field characterization of the physical properties at DM sources throughout the region, and dissemination and outreach to promote the concept of beneficial use of dredged materials in transportation construction. KW - Building materials KW - Dredged materials KW - Dredging KW - Earthwork KW - Geotechnical engineering KW - Great Lakes KW - Port operations KW - Properties of materials KW - Recycling KW - Waste management UR - http://www.wistrans.org/cfire/documents/FR_0706.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1320002 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01534880 AU - Juni, Emil AU - Adams, Teresa M AU - National Center for Freight and Infrastructure Research and Education (CFIRE) AU - Wisconsin Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Compass 2012 Data Analysis and Reporting PY - 2014/05//Final Report SP - 92p AB - Past efforts include data analysis and reporting performance and outcomes for signs, pavement, shoulders, roadsides, drainage, traffic, and bridges. In the 2005 Compass report, measures for bridge inspection and maintenance were added, and historic data was transformed from District to Region-levels. In 2006, Compass reports began presenting trends for pavement condition associated with the agency’s biennial inspection cycle. In addition, starting from 2006 the Compass report took on a slightly more customer-focus by presenting overall results as a report card and by organizing the measures according to their maintenance objectives such as safety, stewardship, and aesthetics. Starting from 2008, pavement condition is presented based on the PMMS (Pavement Maintenance Management System) data. KW - Annual reports KW - Asset management KW - Bridges KW - Compass program (Wisconsin) KW - Condition surveys KW - Data analysis KW - Highway maintenance KW - Maintenance management KW - Pavement management systems KW - Performance measurement KW - State highways KW - Wisconsin UR - http://www.wistrans.org/cfire/documents/FR_0802.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1320024 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01532327 AU - Zhang, Yunlong AU - Tiaprasert, Kamonthep AU - Texas A&M Transportation Institute AU - Southwest Region University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Enhanced Adaptive Signal Control Using Dedicated Short-Range Communications PY - 2014/05//Technical Report SP - 84p AB - Connected vehicle technology with dedicated short-range communications can provide traffic information in a spatial domain that conventional fixed-point detectors cannot provide. However, because of low market penetration with this new data source, new measures to obtain other traffic parameters and new methodologies to use these new data for better signal control are needed. Arterial roads with multiple intersections and coordinate systems can benefit from these spatial domain data as it allows vehicles to move without being stopped. For a heterogeneous traffic flow, multi-class cell transmission (M-CTM) is used to optimize signal timing control. M-CTM should work well in modeling traffic flow with signal coordination along an arterial where the platoon dispersion effect is significant and has to be accounted for in order to achieve accurate modeling results. Furthermore, queue length estimation was developed to use connected vehicle data without relying on a conventional detector. Lastly, an adaptive signal control based on the queue length estimation and connected vehicle technology was developed and compared with the pre-timed signal in various traffic conditions. The results show that the proposed control logic works well in both the free-flow condition and the congested condition, can decrease total delay, and can prevent queue overflow. KW - Arterial highways KW - Data collection KW - Dedicated short range communications KW - Mobile communication systems KW - Queuing KW - Real time information KW - Traffic flow KW - Traffic signal control systems KW - Traffic signal timing UR - http://swutc.tamu.edu/publications/technicalreports/600451-00010-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1317275 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01532314 AU - Farley, Robert AU - Ellis, David AU - Weldon, Allison AU - Texas A&M Transportation Institute AU - Southwest Region University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Strategic Transportation Finance Clearinghouse PY - 2014/05//Final Report SP - 44p AB - Between now and 2030, there will be a significant gap, well in excess of $100 million, between the amount of revenue needed to funded infrastructure projects and the amount of revenue available to fund those projects in Texas. At the same time, there is private capital seeking to invest in infrastructure projects. Despite the need for capital on the part of the public sector and the willingness to supply capital on the part of the private sector, to date, there have been only a limited number of public-private partnership projects. This paper seeks to begin a process to construct an environment in which more projects can be funded with private capital to the benefit of both the public and private sectors. KW - Construction projects KW - Financing KW - Public private partnerships KW - Texas UR - http://swutc.tamu.edu/publications/technicalreports/161305-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1317278 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01531017 AU - Mahmoudifard, Seyed Mehdi AU - Ko, Sanghyeon AU - Mohammadian, Kouros AU - National Center for Freight and Infrastructure Research and Education (CFIRE) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Assessing Sustainable Freight Policies PY - 2014/05//Final Report SP - 46p AB - The main aim of the study was to examine transportation demand management strategies related to long haul freight. It investigates freight movements and truck vehicle miles traveled (TVMT) changes in response to certain transportation policies, including a national-level and two local policies. In the first scenario, the effects of Panama Canal expansion project and expected shifting of demands between ports on truck volumes of the interstate highway system are studied. This essentially results in a new freight origin and destination matrix that was consequently assigned to the highway network. Such a network analysis reveals the changes in the entire truck network and the congested areas, as well as the total Truck Mileage Traveled. In addition, establishing truck consolidation centers scenario was considered in that shipments that are less than truck load are banned from entering a specific region. The results show that such policies can potentially reduce the total Truck Mileage Traveled, and therefore generating less emission. The last policy prescription was to implement a truck curfew policy in Chicago region. The study examines the effects of such policies and presents sensitivity analysis with respect to each scenario. Furthermore, the study presents an efficient method for disaggregating Freight Analysis Framework (FAF) data. FAF provides estimates of tonnages and values for different types of commodities between states and major metropolitan areas. This database establishes a good resource for analyzing the movements and behavior of freight in the U.S. However FAF data is aggregated and transportation planners and decision makers need to disaggregate the data to obtain more detailed picture of freight movements in the U.S. The study successfully disaggregates FAF data into county level. KW - Disaggregate analysis KW - Freight traffic measurement KW - Greenhouse gases KW - Illinois KW - Panama Canal KW - Policy analysis KW - Sustainable transportation KW - Travel demand management KW - Truck traffic KW - United States KW - Vehicle miles of travel UR - http://www.wistrans.org/cfire/documents/FR_0704.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1316827 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01530979 AU - Qi, Yi AU - Chen, Xiaoming AU - Wang, Yubian AU - Liu, Guanqi AU - Lu, Yan AU - Texas Southern University, Houston AU - Southwest Region University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Use of Directional Median Openings on Urban Roadways PY - 2014/05//Technical Report SP - 55p AB - Over the past decades, many states and local transportation agencies have installed directional median openings on divided roadways to improve arterial safety and operational performance. A directional opening is normally used to restrict crossing and left-turn movements from minor streets to help avoid potential conflicts. A series of potential benefits may be achieved by installing directional-median openings, including reduced crash rates, increased traffic capacity, and better operational performance. However, the benefits of directional median openings depend largely on proper implementation and on various factors, including geometric, traffic control, environmental conditions, and the type and placement of the downstream U-turn provisions. The goal of this research is to investigate the safety impacts of installing directional openings on median-divided urban roadways. To achieve this goal, the research : 1) synthesized existing related research; 2) compared the safety performance of directional median openings and full median openings, at subject opening locations and downstream U-turn locations; and 3) analyzed the contributing factors to the crashes occurring at the downstream U-turn locations of a directional median opening. The studies led to a number of findings. Some of the highlighted findings include: 1) Converting a full median opening to directional median opening will reduce the crash frequency at the subject opening location. Although directional median opening might increase the crash frequencies at downstream U-turn locations, the total crashes at subject openings and downstream U-turn locations are still lower than that at full median openings.; 2) The total numbers of crashes at downstream U-turn locations of directional median openings were significantly affected by downstream U-turn volume, downstream left-turn volume, and distance to downstream U-turn opening. Higher downstream U-turn volume and downstream left-turn volume would result in more crashes at downstream U-turn locations. The closer the downstream U-turn location to the subject opening, the more crashes at downstream U-turn location. These findings indicate that, since converting a full median opening to a directional median opening will generate more U-turns at downstream opening of directional opening, the selection of U-turn location is critical for the safety performance of directional openings. Diverted left-turn traffic should not be allowed to make U-turns at closely spaced openings that already have significant U-turns or left-turn volumes. KW - Crash rates KW - Divided highways KW - Highway safety KW - Highway traffic control KW - Left turns KW - Median openings KW - Traffic crashes KW - U turns KW - Urban highways UR - http://swutc.tamu.edu/publications/technicalreports/161342-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1313974 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01530972 AU - Rodriguez, Daniel A AU - Turochy, Rod AU - Sundstrom, Carl AU - Sandt, Laura AU - Southeastern Transportation Research, Innovation, Development and Education Center (STRIDE) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Development of Pedestrian & Bicycle Transportation Course Modules PY - 2014/05//Final Report SP - 18p AB - According to a 2012 report by the Alliance for Biking and Walking, crashes involving bicyclists and/or pedestrians account for almost 15% of all traffic crashes. The states that house Southeastern Transportation Research, Innovation, Development and Education Center (STRIDE) consortium universities, including Florida, Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, and Mississippi, are among the top seven states with the highest pedestrian and bicyclist fatality rates in the nation. Training the next generation of planners and engineers to consider pedestrian and bicyclist needs is critical to addressing safety and livability concerns and creating more balanced, integrated, and efficient transportation systems. The authors developed and evaluated three short teaching modules for undergraduate students on planning and design for pedestrians and bicyclists (available at http://www.pedbikeinfo.org/training/courses_short.cfm). Each module includes a PowerPoint file and a narrative accompanying the file. The third module also contains a mini exercise or capstone case, bringing together the concepts presented in the three previous modules. The aim is that the instructor can choose between one, two, or all three modules. Modules were tested and evaluated by students at Auburn University enrolled in a junior-level introductory Transportation Engineering course. Since being made available to the public in August 2013, the materials were downloaded more than 120 times by individuals affiliated with educational and non-educational institutions. Although the main use of the modules is educational and training activities, they have also been used for advocacy and practice. KW - Bicycle facilities KW - Education and training KW - Pedestrian areas KW - Pedestrian safety KW - Pedestrian-vehicle crashes KW - Planning and design KW - Transportation engineering KW - Transportation planning KW - Universities and colleges UR - http://stride.ce.ufl.edu/uploads/docs/STRIDE_final_report_bikeped_modules_2014.pdf UR - http://www.stride.ce.ufl.edu/uploads/docs/STRIDE_final_report_bikeped_modules_2014.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1314848 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01530964 AU - Lyons, William AU - Rasmussen, Benjamin AU - Daddio, David AU - Fijalkowski, Jared AU - Simmons, Erica AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Nonmotorized Transportation Pilot Program: Continued Progress in Developing Walking and Bicycling Networks PY - 2014/05//Final Report SP - 82p AB - In 2005, the United States Congress directed the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to develop the Nonmotorized Transportation Pilot Program (NTPP). The program provided over $25 million in contract authority to four pilot communities (Columbia, Missouri; Marin County, California; Minneapolis area, Minnesota; and Sheboygan County, Wisconsin) for pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure and nonmotorized programs. This report summarizes the progress and results of the NTPP from August 2005 through December 2013, updating and expanding upon the analysis from the Report to the U.S. Congress on the Outcomes of the Nonmotorized Transportation Pilot Program, submitted by the Federal Highway Administration in April 2012. This report analyzes the results through December 2013 of the NTPP in terms of program implementation, transportation mode shift toward walking and bicycling and associated improvements pertaining to access and mobility, safety and public health, and the environment and energy. From 2007 to 2013, the pilot communities observed an estimated 22.8 percent increase in the number of walking trips and an estimated 48.3 percent increase in the number of bicycling trips. This report examines how the NTPP pilot communities provide examples to other communities interested in implementing and evaluating nonmotorized investments. KW - Accessibility KW - Bicycle travel KW - Columbia (Missouri) KW - Environmental impacts KW - Implementation KW - Marin County (California) KW - Minneapolis (Minnesota) KW - Mobility KW - Modal shift KW - Nonmotorized transportation KW - Nonmotorized Transportation Pilot Program KW - Pedestrian safety KW - Public health KW - Sheboygan County (Wisconsin) KW - Walking UR - http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/bicycle_pedestrian/ntpp/2014_report/hep14035.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/51000/51900/51902/hep14035.pdf?utm_source=GovDelivery&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=June%20newsletter UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1313570 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01530893 AU - Goodwin, Gwen AU - Sabaroche, Sascha AU - Council, Walter AU - Texas Southern University, Houston AU - Southwest Region University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Exploring Sustainable Transportation for Texas Southern University PY - 2014/05//Final Report AB - Texas Southern University (TSU) is a commuter campus with students, faculty, and staff traveling from the Greater Houston area to the university. Over the past few years, the TSU campus has made marked improvements to move towards a “greener” more sustainable campus with less impervious coverage. Despite this commitment, the campus still has not addressed how the university will decrease its carbon footprint and change the way people arrive at the campus. Adopting a multi-facetted approach to commuting where faculty, staff, and students have the sustainable commuting options: i.e. rideshare, transit, drive, and bicycle, as viable alternatives to get to the university. The literature and practices currently in use show these strategies are already working well at other campuses and could prove success at TSU as well. KW - Bicycle commuting KW - Commuting KW - Literature reviews KW - Public transit KW - Ridesharing KW - Sustainable transportation KW - Texas Southern University KW - Universities and colleges UR - http://swutc.tamu.edu/publications/technicalreports/600451-00042-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1313973 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01529466 AU - Zeng, Xiaosi AU - Balke, Kevin AU - Songchitruksa, Praprut AU - Zhang, Yunlong AU - Texas A&M Transportation Institute AU - Southwest Region University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - A Real-time Transit Signal Priority Control System that Considers Stochastic Bus Arrival Times PY - 2014/05//Research Report SP - 91p AB - Transit Signal Priority (TSP) is an effective strategy for providing preferential treatment to move transit vehicles through intersections with minimum delay. However, TSP can disrupt traffic on non-priority phases if not properly implemented. To produce a good TSP strategy, advance planning with enough lead time is usually preferred; this means added uncertainty about the bus arrival at the stop bar, which has been difficult to be accounted for. Researchers proposed a stochastic mixed-integer nonlinear model (SMINP) to be used as the core component of a real-time transit signal priority control system. The SMINP was implemented in a simulation evaluation platform. An analysis was performed to compare the proposed control model with the standard check-in/check-out TSP system implemented in the VISSIM Built-in Ring-Barrier Controller (RBC-TSP). The results showed the SMINP produced as much as 30 percent improvement of bus delay from the RBC-TSP in low to medium volume conditions. In high-volume conditions, the SMINP model automatically recognizes the level of congestion of the intersection and gives less priority to the bus so as to maintain a minimum impact to the traffic on its conflicting phases. In the case of multiple conflicting bus lines, a rolling optimization scheme was developed. A comparison indicated the RBC-TSP systems cannot handle a high degree of saturation when there are significant amount of conflicts between bus lines, while the SMINP can automatically give less priority to bus so as to cause much less impact to other traffic. KW - Bus priority KW - Bus transit operations KW - Mixed integer programming KW - Optimization KW - Real time control KW - Traffic congestion KW - Traffic signal priority KW - Traffic simulation KW - Transit buses UR - http://d2dtl5nnlpfr0r.cloudfront.net/swutc.tamu.edu/publications/technicalreports/600451-00014-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1313580 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01529458 AU - He, B Brian AU - Bi, Zheting AU - TranLIVE AU - National Institute for Advanced Transportation Technology AU - Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - In situ Transesterification of Microalgal Oil to Produce Algal Biodiesel (Stage 2) PY - 2014/05//Final Report SP - 22p AB - Research on processing microalgae into algal biofuels is a needed step for commercialization. This report aimed at exploring a one-step processing technology that combines lipid extraction and transesterification in a single step or in situ transesterification. Specifically, the effects of process parameters on the process efficiency were investigated using whole microalgae as the feedstock. With the model microalga Schizochytrium limacinum, experiments were performed on the effects of lipid-to-methanol molar ratio (sRatio), operating temperature, reaction time, and CO₂ as a co-solvent based on a factorial experimental design. It was found that the operating temperature and the reaction time are the most influential process parameters. The effects on the product yield and selectivity were collectively contributed by the combinations of these two parameters. A product yield of 68.7% was achieved after 60 minutes at 210°C with a selectivity of 35%. Similar product yield of 68.6% but higher selectivity of 46.8% were obtained after 30 minutes at 250°C. The sRatio did not affect the product yield significantly due to the higher ratios tested. Despite a noticeable influence found in preliminary investigations, the addition of CO₂ did not display significant effects in low pressure operations. The conditions for optimum product yield and/or product selectivity were inconclusive. Further investigation is needed to gain a thorough understanding of the process. KW - Algae KW - Biodiesel fuels KW - Carbon dioxide KW - Fuel processing KW - Temperature KW - Transesterification UR - http://www.uidaho.edu/~/media/Files/orgs/ENGR/Research/NIATT/TranLIVE/Final%20Reports/UI_TranLIVE%20Final%20Report_Algal%20Biodiesel UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1313587 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01529296 AU - Simpson, Sherona P AU - Ozbek, Mehmet E AU - Clevenger, Caroline M 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 - A Framework for Assessing Transportation Sustainability Rating Systems for Implementation in U.S. State Departments of Transportation PY - 2014/05 SP - 89p AB - Sustainability has increased in popularity as a key indicator for planning transportation projects. With that movement, evaluating the sustainability of transportation projects has become necessary for state departments of transportation (DOTs). Transportation Sustainability Rating Systems (TSRS) have been adopted for this purpose; however, different TSRSs employ different methods for determining or quantifying sustainability, and emphasize different sustainability factors. Given the number, variability, and specificity of TSRSs available, an evaluation and pairing exercise of available systems is needed to help state DOTs select a system by determining to what extent a given system suits each state DOT’s preferences. This thesis presents a four-step framework that identifies the most important capabilities in a TSRS as preferred by a state DOT and then facilitates weighting of those capabilities via a well-established methodology, the Analytical Hierarchy Process. The thesis also presents the implementation of this framework for Colorado DOT (CDOT), South Dakota DOT (SDDOT), Utah DOT (UDOT) and Wyoming DOT (WYDOT). The framework resulted in the identification of Infrastructure Voluntary Evaluation Sustainability Tool (INVEST) to be the most suitable TSRS for CDOT and WYDOT, Green Leadership in Transportation and Environmental Sustainability (GreenLITES) as the most suitable TSRS for SDDOT, and the results for UDOT were inconclusive. The framework developed for assessing TSRSs was proven to be a viable means for determining rank and suitability of TSRS for DOTs. KW - Colorado Department of Transportation KW - Implementation KW - Measuring methods KW - Ratings KW - South Dakota Department of Transportation KW - State departments of transportation KW - Sustainable transportation KW - Transportation planning KW - Utah Department of Transportation KW - Wyoming Department of Transportation UR - http://www.mountain-plains.org/pubs/pdf/MPC14-268.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1312422 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01529284 AU - Jansuwan, Sarawut AU - Ryu, Seungkyu AU - Chen, Anthony AU - Heaslip, Kevin AU - Mountain-Plains Consortium AU - Utah State University, Logan AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - A Two-Stage Approach for Estimating a Statewide Truck Trip Table PY - 2014/05 SP - 73p AB - The goal of this research is to develop a two-stage approach for estimating truck origin-destination (O-D) trip table using both commodity flows and truck counts. The specific objectives of this research include the following: (1) Investigate and update the statewide truck data from the following data sources: Freight Analysis Framework version 3 (FAF3), a newly released national commodity O-D database, the up-to-date statewide truck count programs, and the Utah Statewide Travel Model (USTM). (2) Develop a commodity-based truck trip table from FAF3 for the state of Utah. (3) Refine the commodity-based truck trip table using truck counts obtained from the statewide truck count program and the USTM. A case study using the Utah statewide freight transportation network is conducted to demonstrate the application of the proposed method. KW - Case studies KW - Commodity flow KW - Freight Analysis Framework KW - Origin and destination KW - Traffic estimation KW - Travel demand KW - Trip tables KW - Trucks KW - Utah UR - http://www.mountain-plains.org/pubs/pdf/MPC14-269.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1312316 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01527893 AU - Samra, Haifa AU - Qin, Xiao AU - He, Zhaoxiang AU - South Dakota State University, Brookings AU - Mountain-Plains Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Improving Rural Emergency Medical Services (EMS) through Transportation System Enhancements PY - 2014/05 SP - 37p AB - Improved emergency medical services (EMS) will impact traffic safety and public health in rural communities. Better planned, designed, and operated roadway networks that connect hospitals with communities in need will enhance EMS performance. To provide safe, timely and quality services, it is necessary to obtain a realistic estimate of the medical demand and the capacity of current transportation infrastructure pertaining to the services. The gaps between service providers, patients, and transportation network connecting the two need to be identified and filled to support better EMS. The goal of this project was to identify issues with respect to the delivery of quality EMS to rural residents in South Dakota (SD) and to conduct a needs assessment from the rural transportation system perspective. Study objectives were: (1) Identify the service needs from the rural communities; (2) Evaluate the rural transportation system components in support of swift and safe EMS; and (3) Identify the existing issues with the SD EMS providers or first responders related to roads and traffic controls. Study objectives were achieved through a combination of literature review, spatial and temporal analysis of SD EMS data, and EMS personnel surveys and focus groups. In addition to survey results, this report summarizes the SD EMS data from the geographic (e.g., counties in SD) and temporal (e.g., time of day, day of week, and month of year) perspectives and concentrates on several time- and distance-dependent variables such as response time, en-route time, on-scene time, and transporting time as well as the distance to and from the incident scene. KW - Emergency medical services KW - Emergency response time KW - Improvements KW - Needs assessment KW - Rural areas KW - South Dakota KW - Traffic safety KW - Trip length UR - http://www.mountain-plains.org/pubs/pdf/MPC14-267.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/51000/51800/51857/MPC_14-267.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1310614 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01542851 AU - Guo, Yuntao AU - He, Xiaozheng (Sean) AU - Peeta, Srinivas AU - Zheng, Hong AU - Barrett, Tim AU - Miller, Albert AU - Weiss, W Jason AU - NEXTRANS AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Internal Curing as a New Tool for Infrastructural Renewal: Reducing Repair Congestion, Increasing Service Life, and Improving Sustainability PY - 2014/04/30/Final Report SP - 58p AB - Internal curing has recently been developed as a new concrete technology that has the potential to dramatically extend the service life of concrete infrastructure elements like bridge decks. Internal curing uses prewetted lightweight aggregate (LWA) in low water to cement ratio, high performance concrete (HPC) to provide curing water at the opportune time to minimize restrained shrinkage cracking and increase hydration of the cement resulting in reduced chloride ingress and corrosion. Internal curing may be able to extend the service life of a concrete deck. The benefits of internally cured concrete bridge decks (either new or replacements) at a system level, in the context of traffic disruptions resulting from renewal/repair needs and varying traffic flow congestion levels across different timescales, is a relatively unexplored concept. This research seeks to understand the potential benefits of internally cured concrete mixtures compared to conventional mixture in a transportation system, thereby filling a key gap in the current internal curing literature. Findings from this research are as follows: Internal curing generally results in a significant reduction in cracking as well as an improvement in the transport properties of concrete. These benefits are due in part to the reduced self-dessication, extended degree of hydration and the densification of the interfacial regions around the LWA. It was shown that for the service life model presented herein the internally cured HPC concretes cast in the state of Indiana in 2013 achieve an estimated service life improvement of 3 to 4.5 times that of the conventional bridge deck concrete specified, while a field inspection of one of these bridges indicated no visible shrinkage cracking after six months of service. Recommendations are as follows: The research addressed in this project suggests that internally cured concrete mixtures can represent an important and viable option for a transportation system to replace conventional concrete mixtures. Further, this research serves as a building block for exploring a new generation of analytical frameworks for application of internally cured concrete mixture. KW - Bridge decks KW - High performance concrete KW - Indiana KW - Internal curing KW - Prewetted lightweight aggregate KW - Repairing KW - Service life UR - http://www.purdue.edu/discoverypark/nextrans/assets/pdfs/NEXTRANS%20Project%20No.%20082PY04%20Internal%20Curing%20as%20a%20New%20Tool%20for%20Infrastructural%20Renewal%20Reducing%20Repair%20Congestion,%20Increasing%20Service%20Life,%20and%20Improving%20Sustainability.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1328583 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01529292 AU - Guo, Yuntao AU - Peeta, Srinivas AU - Zheng, Hong AU - Cox, Bruce AU - NEXTRANS AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Exploring the Opportunities and Barriers to Intermodal Rail Freight PY - 2014/04/30/Final Report SP - 71p AB - Due to the effects of congestion and rising fuel costs, the need for green transportation and energy security, and the increasing revenue gaps to finance highway infrastructure construction and renewal, there is a critical need to explore the opportunities and barriers to rail-truck multimodal transportation paradigms involving all types of rail and truck assets in both modes. For truck freight carriers, the potential for the growing market also entails challenges such as increased highway congestion and energy consumption, and reduced operational safety, which can affect the reliability and competitiveness of truck freight carriers. In addition, truck driver shortage, high truck driver turnover rate, rising fuel cost, competition with rail freight carriers and third party logistics providers, and freight shippers’ increasing focus on choosing eco-friendly carriers also limit the ability of truck freight carriers to seamlessly capture the steadily growing freight transportation market. For freight shippers, there is urgency for freight shippers to improve the reliability of their logistic system and reduce the supply chain costs. This project aims to explore freight shipper and truck freight carrier perspective in the United State on the factors that foster or impede their usage of rail-truck multimodal freight carriers. KW - Carriers KW - Freight transportation KW - Intermodal transportation KW - Railroad transportation KW - Trucking KW - United States UR - http://www.purdue.edu/discoverypark/nextrans/assets/pdfs/078PY04-Final%20Report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1312518 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01526329 AU - Mishalani, Rabi G AU - McCord, Mark R AU - Goel, Prem K AU - Reinhold, Herbert (Ted) AU - McLaughlin, Katharina A AU - Ohio State University, Columbus AU - NEXTRANS AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Research, Education, and Outreach Derived from Campus Transit Laboratory PY - 2014/04/28 SP - 48p AB - This report documents the research, outreach, and educational activities conducted within the context of the Ohio State University (OSU) Campus Transit Lab (CTL) based on recently and previously manually and automatically collected data. Section 2 details various outreach activities between the CTL investigators and Campus Area Bus Service (CABS) managers. This section also lists technical presentations and papers produced as a result of CTL activities. Section 3 summarizes the various research activities conducted in the CTL within the scope of this project. The data collected and processed by CTL investigators are used to support and develop modules, assignments, and exam questions for use in undergraduate and graduate courses. These educational activities are described in Section 4. Finally, the outreach, research, and educational activities and findings are summarized in Section 5. KW - Bus transit KW - Campus Transit Lab (Ohio State University) KW - Campus transportation KW - Curricula KW - Data collection KW - Education and training KW - Outreach KW - Research projects UR - http://www.purdue.edu/discoverypark/nextrans/assets/pdfs/Final%20Report_089OY04_Mishalani%20et%20al_Campus%20Transit%20Lab.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1308845 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01526309 AU - McCord, Mark R AU - Mishalani, Rabi G AU - Goel, Prem K AU - Reinhold, Herbert (Ted) AU - McLaughlin, Katharina A AU - Ohio State University, Columbus AU - NEXTRANS AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Smart Campus Transit Laboratory for Research and Education PY - 2014/04/28 SP - 60p AB - This report documents the research, outreach, and educational activities conducted within the context of the Ohio State University (OSU) Campus Transit Lab (CTL), based on recently and previously manually and automatically collected data. Section 2 details various outreach activities between the CTL investigators and various stakeholders. This section also lists technical presentations and papers produced as a result of CTL activities. Section 3 summarizes the various research activities conducted in the CTL within the scope of this project. The data collected and processed by CTL investigators are used to support and develop modules, assignments, and exam questions for use in undergraduate and graduate courses. These educational activities are described in Section 4. Finally, the outreach, research, and educational activities and findings are summarized in Section 5. KW - Bus transit KW - Campus Transit Lab (Ohio State University) KW - Campus transportation KW - Curricula KW - Data collection KW - Education and training KW - Outreach KW - Research projects UR - http://www.purdue.edu/discoverypark/nextrans/assets/pdfs/Final%20Report_068OY03_McCord%20et%20al_Campus%20Transit%20Lab.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1308846 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01536626 AU - Tang, Hansong AU - Qu, Ke AU - Kraatz, Simon AU - Cheng, Wenglong AU - University Transportation Research Center AU - New Jersey Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Potential Sites for Tidal Power in New Jersey PY - 2014/04/26/Final Report SP - 63p AB - High-resolution simulation is made to model tidal energy along the coastlines of New Jersey (NJ) and its neighbor states with an unprecedentedly fine grid. On the basis of the simulation, a thorough search is made for sites for tidal power generation, with special attention to locations near transportation infrastructures, considering factors such as power density, surface area, water depth, and environmentally sensitive zones, and it also examines effects of sea-level-rise (SLR). A list of 32 top sites with power density over 250 W/m² are identified at the coast, and among them, 21 sites with total surface area of 13 km² are at the NJ coast, and many sites are next to bridges. 10 favorable sites are also sorted out near ports, docks, and marinas along its coastlines. It is found that SLR could substantially affect tidal energy distribution at the identified sites, and it is a factor that has to be taken into consideration in site selections. The identified sites and estimates for their associated parameters will serve as a basis for actual development of tidal power in this region. KW - Electric power generation KW - Infrastructure KW - Location KW - New Jersey KW - Sea level KW - Simulation KW - Tidal power plants UR - http://www.utrc2.org/sites/default/files/pubs/final-tidal-energy.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1321366 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01529358 AU - Zheng, Hong AU - Peeta, Srinivas AU - NEXTRANS AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Design of Personal Rapid Transit Networks for Transit-Oriented Development Cities PY - 2014/04/24/Final Report SP - 38p AB - Personal rapid transit (PRT) is an automated transit system in which vehicles are sized to transport a batch of passengers on demand to their destinations, by means of nonstop and non-transfer on its own right-of-way. PRT vehicles run exclusively on its tracks, called guideways. The guideways are designed as elevated facilities above the ground, for purpose of eliminating at-grade crossings or interferences with other transportation modes. In the recent planning practice for urban development in future, there has been an increasing and sustained emphasis in the global community in sustainable transportation systems. Transit-oriented development (TOD) has emerged as a promising alternative for sustainable communities by creating compact environments using convenient and efficient public transportation systems. To facilitate TOD development, an alternative to the personal car needs to provide a public transit mode which offers the same door-to-door flexibility at an acceptable cost. This could be achieved through a mixed design of high passenger-flows mass transit and flexible public transportation carrying low passenger-flows for the times or places. PRT is one of such flexible systems serving a supplement mode for the TOD development, where a PRT system functions as a local area network, connecting the traditional transit systems and other means of transit modes within its network. Two major downsides that restrict the PRT in the practical stage are the cost and line capacity. Both the cost and line capacity could be improved through an appropriate guideway network (GN) design, because a well-designed GN not only improves the connectivity and accessibility, but also provides more options in the route choice. This study investigates the methodology of PRT network design, to minimize both guideway construction cost and users’ travel cost. In particular it introduces a set of optional points, known as Steiner points, in the graph to reduce the guideway length. The model is formulated as a combined Steiner problem and assignment problem, and a Lagrangian relaxation based solution algorithm is developed to solve the problem. Numerical studies are carried on a realistic-sized network. The authors show the proposed model and solution algorithm can solve the PRT guideway network effectively. KW - Algorithms KW - Cities KW - Design KW - Guideways KW - Personal rapid transit KW - Public transit KW - Transit oriented development KW - Travel costs UR - http://www.purdue.edu/discoverypark/nextrans/assets/pdfs/081PY04%20Final%20Report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1312521 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01577872 TI - 2014-28 (PE) Evaluation of the Roadway Departure Safety Program AB - No summary provided. KW - Escape lanes KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Highway safety KW - Ran off road crashes KW - Safety programs UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1371175 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01523301 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 - 2014/04/22 SP - 20p AB - The Electric Vehicle Transportation Center’s (EVTC) vision is to transform the country’s transportation network into a fully integrated "smart" electric vehicle deployment system coupled with a "smart" electric grid achieved with maximum efficiency and minimum time and disruption. To accomplish the EVTC vision, the Center’s goals are to serve as the focal point for 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 EVs into a complex electricity grid and transportation network. The EVTC will bridge the gap between deployment of electric vehicles and the traditional transportation system. To meet the EVTC’s goals the EVTC will undertake five activities as follows: 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://evtc.fsec.ucf.edu/reports/EVTC-PPPR-01_2014-04-22.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1307059 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01560335 AU - Ray, Rosalie AU - Petrella, Margaret AU - Peirce, Sean AU - Minnice, Paul AU - Puckett, Sean AU - Lappin, Jane AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Exploring the Equity Impacts of Two Road Pricing Implementations Using a Traveler Behavior Survey: Full Facility Pricing on SR 520 in Seattle and the I-85 HOV-2 to HOT-3 Conversion in Atlanta PY - 2014/04/18/Final Report SP - 45p AB - This paper reports survey findings on the equity impacts of variable tolling programs implemented on SR 520 in Seattle (Urban Partnership Agreement) and on I-85 in Atlanta (Congestion Reduction Demonstration Program). The analysis utilizes data from panel surveys administered in Seattle and Atlanta, in which all adult members of sampled households were asked to complete surveys both before and after tolling. The analysis focuses on three types of equity impacts: income, geographic and modal. Income equity impacts were greater in Seattle, compared to Atlanta, as were geographic equity impacts. In Atlanta, modal equity, as measured through impacts to carpoolers, was a greater concern. In conclusion, the type and intensity of the equity impacts differed across the two sites as a result of the differences in the design of the pricing strategy as well as differences in regional context. KW - Atlanta (Georgia) KW - Before and after studies KW - Equity (Justice) KW - Geographic equity KW - High occupancy toll lanes KW - High occupancy vehicle lane to high occupancy toll lane conversion KW - Income KW - Panel studies KW - Road pricing KW - Seattle (Washington) KW - Transportation modes KW - Travel behavior UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/54000/54000/54064/UPA-CRD_Panel_Survey_Equity_Final_Report_Volpe.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1345653 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01548529 AU - Peirce, Sean AU - Petrella, Margaret AU - Puckett, Sean AU - Minnice, Paul AU - Lappin, Jane AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Urban Partnership Agreement and Congestion Reduction Demonstration Programs: Lessons Learned on Congestion Pricing from the Seattle and Atlanta Household Travel Behavior Surveys PY - 2014/04/17/Final Report SP - 22p AB - This paper presents lessons learned from household traveler surveys administered in Seattle and Atlanta as part of the evaluation of the Urban Partnership Agreement and Congestion Reduction Demonstration Programs. The surveys use a two-stage panel survey approach to analyze the impacts of the federally sponsored variable tolling programs on corridor users’ daily travel choices and opinions. Key lessons learned are that pricing does influence travel behavior (as expected), particularly with respect to route choice and the timing of trips. Pricing does not appear to have a noticeable impact on telecommuting, and impacts on mode choice and occupancy depend on the design of the tolling project and the regional context. In addition, the surveys found that travelers utilizing the priced facility notice and appreciate the improvement to traffic conditions and that attitudes toward tolling change with direct experience. The key implications of these lessons learned are that: near term shifts in mode or carpool size require programmatic support; public communication and community involvement are critical; and regional factors influence public attitudes toward tolling. KW - Atlanta (Georgia) KW - Attitudes KW - Congestion pricing KW - Households KW - Mode choice KW - Route choice KW - Seattle (Washington) KW - Travel behavior KW - Travel surveys KW - Variable tolls UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/54000/54000/54065/UPA-CRD_Panel_Survey_Lessons_Learned_Final_Report_Volpe.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1334680 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01573289 TI - LNG Bunkering for Marine Vessels @ the Port of New Orleans: Siting and Facility Components AB - The Port of New Orleans has expressed interest in investigating the physical, operational and safety issues associated with a liguefied natural gas (LNG) Bunkering Facility sited within their jurisdiction. University of New Orleans Transportation Institute (UNOTI) is conducting a best-practices assessment based on the most current research documents and discussions with maritime leaders in the Greater New Orleans area. Reports reviewed include the recently released ABS authored "Bunkering of Liquefied Natural Gas-fueled Marine Vessels in North America" as well an on-going professional journals and related publications including a series of White Papers by FC Gas Intelligence and related resources. UNOTI is also conducting on-site inspections of the Harvey Gulf LNG Bunkering station under construction at Port Fourchon and is planning on interviewing key-decision-makers who participated in the permitting of this facility. Project complete. KW - Best practices KW - Bunkering KW - Liquefied natural gas KW - Maritime safety KW - New Orleans (Louisiana) KW - Port of New Orleans KW - Port operations KW - Ships KW - Water transportation UR - http://martrec.uark.edu/research/uno_lng.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1366470 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01560334 AU - Petrella, Margaret AU - Puckett, Sean AU - Peirce, Sean AU - Minnice, Paul 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 I-85 Corridor in Atlanta PY - 2014/04/11/Final Report SP - 187p AB - This paper uses a two-stage panel survey approach, with roughly 1,600 respondent households, to analyze the impacts of a federally sponsored variable tolling program on the I-85 corridor northeast of Atlanta. The focus is on corridor users’ daily travel choices and opinions. Key survey findings include a decrease in respondents’ travel in the corridor after tolling, including on I-85. However, changes in travel varied by lane; while travel declined in the general purpose lanes, there was an increase in both the number of trips, as well as the number of respondents utilizing the Express Lanes, as compared to the former high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lane. The largest share of trips in the Express Lanes (82%) was solo drivers who paid the toll. Vehicle occupancy declined dramatically in the Express Lanes, as carpoolers tended to shift onto the general purpose lanes, and conversely, there was a significant increase in vehicle occupancy in the general purpose lanes. There were small (but not statistically significant) increases in transit mode share in the corridor, while carpooling and telecommuting levels increased slightly, but the changes cannot be attributed to tolling. In the post-tolling survey, reported satisfaction with travel time, travel speed and reliability of individual trips varied by key user groups: Wave 1 HOV-2 users became significantly less satisfied, whereas Express Lane users became more satisfied. Overall, personal attitudes toward tolling became significantly more negative after the deployment of pricing. KW - Atlanta (Georgia) KW - Attitudes KW - Carpools KW - High occupancy toll lanes KW - High occupancy vehicle lane to high occupancy toll lane conversion KW - High occupancy vehicle lanes KW - Interstate 85 KW - Modal shift KW - Panel studies KW - Single occupant vehicles KW - Telecommuting KW - Travel behavior KW - Variable tolls UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/54000/54000/54062/CRD_Panel_Survey_Atlanta_Final_Report_Volpe.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1345652 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01530638 TI - Spatial Context Transportation Safety Analysis for the Aging Population: An Integrated 3-Dimensional Visualization and Human Factors Simulation Approach AB - The proportion of the aging population is growing significantly. Aging road users can be expected to experience difficulties navigating the roadway as drivers and pedestrians as a consequence of normal age-related changes to their perceptual, cognitive, and psychomotor abilities, presenting many challenges to transportation planners and engineers who must ensure system safety while increasing operational efficiency. In 2008, 13% (34 million) of the total U.S. population were people age 65 and older. This age group is projected to grow to exceed 50 million by 2020, accounting for roughly one-fifth of the population of driving age in this country. In effect, if design is controlled by even 85th percentile performance requirements, the "design driver" of the early 21st century will be an individual over the age of 65. In 2008, 183,000 older individuals were injured in traffic crashes, accounting for 8% of all the people injured in traffic crashes during the year. These older individuals made up 15% of all traffic fatalities, 14% of all vehicle occupant fatalities, and 18% of all pedestrian fatalities. Therefore, there is an urgent need to improve the safety and mobility of the nation's growing aging population. This multidisciplinary research aims to provide countermeasures and recommendations for the aging population's safety, by analyzing geographically referenced spatial data surrounding aging road users through 3-dimensional (3D) visualization. Data from the visualization analysis will be simulated as scenarios to study human factors affecting aging road users such as normative age-relate declines in perception, cognition, and psychomotor performance. The focus of the case studies will be the state of Florida, but this research approach can be utilized anywhere in the country. The expected outcome will be specific planning and geometric design recommendations, as well as specific guideline for education, licensing, and training for the aging resulting from the spatial context human factors analysis to improve the safety of the aging population. KW - Aged KW - Aged drivers KW - Countermeasures KW - Fatalities KW - Florida KW - Highway safety KW - Pedestrians KW - Traffic crashes UR - http://www.utc.fsu.edu/Abdelrazig UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1316849 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01530635 TI - Assessment of the Psychosocial Behavior Associated to Elderly Drivers to Reduce Their Involvement in Crashes AB - Older adults living in rural areas have less access to transportation than their urban counterparts. More rural dwelling older adults are dependent on their own private vehicles to have access to services and social events. Access to alternative transportation has been correlated to older adults voluntarily ceasing to drive. Prior to giving up driving, many older adults self-regulate their driving behaviors in response to changes associated with age, such as decreased mobility, cognition, and vision. Very little research has been done on comparison of self-regulatory behaviors between rural and urban older drivers and its impact on driver cessation. This proposal advances the goal of accessibility and community connectivity by assessing driver fitness and to provide education to rural dwelling older adults and their community on self-modifications to changes in functional abilities and to provide low tech adaptations to compensate for declines in physical capacities. The primary objective of this research is to determine whether rural older adults are less likely to self regulate their driving behaviors, and as a result cease from driving when they are not fit to drive, compared to urban dwelling older adults. The study will also examine whether urban-dwelling older adults are more likely to self-regulate their driving behaviors because they have more options for alternative transportation. KW - Aged drivers KW - Behavior KW - Cognition KW - Driving cessation KW - Mobility KW - Rural areas KW - Vision UR - http://www.utc.fsu.edu/Kobelo UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1316846 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01529291 AU - Hu, Shou-Ren AU - Liou, Han-Tsung AU - Peeta, Srinivas AU - Zheng, Hong AU - NEXTRANS AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Determination of Network Origin-Destination Matrices Using Partial Link Traffic Counts and Virtual Sensor Information in an Integrated Corridor Management Framework PY - 2014/04/07/Final Report SP - 46p AB - The performance of a network origin-destination (O-D) demand estimation model is strongly dependent on the quantity and quality of traffic data collected by different types of traffic sensors. The purpose of the Network Sensor Location Problem is to determine the optimal, minimum number of required traffic sensors and identify their corresponding installation locations, especially under the limited budget constraints of highway agencies. The collected partial link and path flow data are crucial inputs used to estimate corresponding O-D demands in a vehicular network. The strategic deployment of heterogeneous traffic sensors for network O-D demand estimation is a critical subject in transportation network science. The purpose of this study is to develop an integrated heterogeneous sensor deployment model to estimate network O-D demands. One of the unique aspects of the proposed model framework is that it does not require the unreasonable assumption of known prior O-D demand information, turning proportions, or route choice probabilities, enabling the network O-D demand and path flow estimation problems to be more practically traceable. KW - Integrated corridor management KW - Location KW - Origin and destination KW - Sensors KW - Traffic counts KW - Traffic flow KW - Travel demand UR - http://www.purdue.edu/discoverypark/nextrans/assets/pdfs/056PY03-Final%20Report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1312523 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01526378 AU - McCord, Mark R AU - Brooks, Colin N AU - Goel, Prem AU - Zaetz, Jiaqi AU - Sell, Nicole AU - Dean, David AU - Jessee, Nathanial AU - NEXTRANS AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Documenting Truck Activity Times at International Border Crossings PY - 2014/04/02 SP - 53p AB - In a previous report the authors described their geo-fence approach for determining truck activity times at the United States-Canadian border. The approach took advantage of onboard position, timing, and communication systems already installed on many truck fleets. In this study, the authors collected additional data and processed these and other recently collected data to produce updated activity times. The data collection and processing effort is summarized in Section 2. Parallel to past efforts, Transport Canada (TC) and the Ontario Ministry of Transportation were using a Bluetooth-based approach to collect truck data at these major border crossings. In the project described in this report, the authors refined and expanded the empirical comparisons between their single carrier, geo-fence based crossing times and the TC crossing times determined from the broader population of carriers using the Bluetooth-based approach. The reprocessed data also allowed a better temporal match of “approximately concurrent” crossings in the two datasets. In Section 3, the authors present the revised investigations conducted with these reprocessed data and additional investigations that confirm the strong positive associations seen in the previous investigation for both directions of traffic at the Ambassador Bridge facility and for the Ontario-to-Michigan direction at the Blue Water Bridge facility. The authors also conducted multiple empirical studies using the newly processed data. In Section 4, empirical results are presented that quantify changes in geo-fence times resulting from a change in inspection facilities for Canada-bound traffic at the Blue Water Bridge, document the effect on truck times of the Black River Bridge construction project, identify systematic changes to duty free times for US bound trucks, and portray time-of-day patterns in times incurred on surface streets in Windsor. KW - Bluetooth technology KW - Data collection KW - Freight traffic KW - Information processing KW - International borders KW - Travel time KW - Truck traffic KW - United States-Canada Border UR - http://www.purdue.edu/discoverypark/nextrans/assets/pdfs/Final%20Report_087OY04_%20McCord%20et%20al_Truck%20Activity.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1308715 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01526319 AU - McCord, Mark R AU - Goel, Prem AU - Brooks, Colin N AU - Sell, Nicole AU - Zaetz, Jiaqi AU - Dean, David AU - NEXTRANS AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Measuring and Documenting Truck Activity Times at International Border Crossings PY - 2014/04/02/Final Report SP - 36p AB - Documenting the times trucks incur when crossing an international border facility is valuable both to the private freight industry and to gateway facility operators and planners. Members of the project team previously developed and implemented an approach to document truck activity times associated with an international border crossing by using technologies that are already in use by truck fleets. The approach relies on position, navigation, and timing (PNT) systems in the form of on-board global positioning system (GPS)-enabled data units, virtual perimeters called geo-fences that surround areas of interest, and a mechanism for data transmission. The investigators teamed with a major North American freight hauler whose trucks regularly traverse two of the busiest North American freight border crossings – the privately owned Ambassador Bridge, connecting Detroit, Michigan, and Windsor, Ontario, and the publicly owned Blue Water Bridge, connecting Port Huron, MI, and Sarnia, ON – to determine times associated with the multiple activities associated with using the facilities at these border crossing sites. Data were collected from the fleet over several months and processed to produce distributions of overall crossing times, queuing times, and inspection times for U.S.-bound and Canada-bound trucks. Parallel to these efforts, Transport Canada (TC) and the Ontario Ministry of Transportation were using a Bluetooth-based approach to collect truck data at these major border crossing facilities. In this study, the geo-fence approach and the data collection and processing efforts are described. Changes in roadway infrastructure at the border crossing facilities that could affect results obtained with presently implemented geo-fences are also summarized. Empirical comparisons are conducted between truck volumes and crossing times in the geo-fence and Transport Canada datasets. In addition, interest in the type of results produced from the geo-fence approach expressed by individuals associated with border crossing times is summarized. KW - Bluetooth technology KW - Data collection KW - Freight traffic KW - Global Positioning System KW - International borders KW - Traffic queuing KW - Travel time KW - Truck traffic KW - United States-Canada Border UR - http://www.purdue.edu/discoverypark/nextrans/assets/pdfs/Final%20Report_067OY03_%20McCord%20et%20al_Truck%20Activity.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1308706 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01572497 TI - Evaluating the Wrong-Way Driving (WWD) Incidents Problem on the Florida's Turnpike Enterprise (FTE) Roadway System AB - The goal is to evaluate the wrong way driving (WWD) incidents problem and potential countermeasures on the Florida's Turnpike Enterprise (FTE's) roadway system. This includes data collection on WWD incidents on the FTE road network including a pilot study site on SR821, analysis of WWD trends, identification of typical problem areas and possible causes, designing and conducting a WWD survey for FTE customers, and providing recommendations to mitigate WWD incidents on FTE's roadway network. KW - Countermeasures KW - Data collection KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Florida Turnpike Enterprise KW - Traffic incidents KW - Wrong way driving UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1364461 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01570479 TI - Impacts of Freight Parking Policies in Urban Areas: The Case of New York City AB - Freight flows are a physical expression of the economy, so fostering efficiency in the movement of freight from producers to consumers will spur growth for the economy and employment. However, the transportation of freight generates a large amount of traffic, with resultant congestion, pollution, noise, infrastructure damage, and threats to the quality of life. The main goal of transportation policy should therefore be to maximize the net social benefits of freight activity by ensuring efficient freight flows, while mitigating the negative impacts associated with freight activity. Achieving a proper balance is always a challenge, as it is in the case of urban parking and curb allocation. In most city centers and business districts (CBDs), parking is very limited, translating into trucks double parking, idling, circling blocks, or extending into sidewalks and roadways while using undersized loading areas. This is not only an enforcement issue; frequently, the number of available parking spaces is not enough to satisfy the needs of delivery trucks. In Manhattan for instance, there are ten ZIP codes where the linear capacity of the streets is insufficient to accommodate the trucks needed to make deliveries (Jaller et al., 2013). As a result, carriers are in most cases, forced to park illegally and pay large amounts of money in parking fines ($500 to $1000 per truck per month) (Holguín-Veras et al., 2008). Freight vehicles need to park close to their customers, as the cost of walking from a parking facility to their destinations is very high; parking further away reduces the size of the loads drivers can carry, all of which increases delivery and parking times. As demand for parking increases in CBDs, there is an increasing need for analysis tools to support decisions that will strike a viable balance between supply and demand. Policy makers need these tools to identify and analyze the impacts of potential policies. Traffic simulation tools have been developed to support efforts devoted to modeling passenger car traffic, but most of these pay almost no attention to the effects of the parking allocations, travel times and congestion generated by delivery trucks. There is a lack of data, and knowledge about how the whole system works, and how best to influence it to achieve policy goals. The development of tools aimed at a fuller understanding of parking conditions in urban areas will help to fill this void, and allow public agencies to manage and regulate parking--for passenger and freight traffic--more effectively. KW - Central business districts KW - Delivery vehicles KW - Freight flow KW - Freight traffic KW - Manhattan (New York, New York) KW - New York (New York) KW - Noise KW - Parking KW - Pollutants KW - Quality of life KW - Traffic congestion KW - Traffic simulation UR - http://www.utrc2.org/research/projects/freight-parking-policies-new-york-city UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1362120 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01566080 TI - Integrating Real-time GIS and Social Media for Qualitative AB - In transportation planning, the activity-based model system is considered as the next-generation demand foresting model and requires the input of trip modes and purposes of individuals. Global positioning system (GPS) based travel surveys can avoid many problems in traditional paper and phone surveys and are becoming increasingly popular in major cities worldwide. In the past few years, Dr. Gong has developed a computing system consisting of a smartphone app that transmits GPS data to an Amazon cloud server where geographic information systems (GIS) algorithms detect travel modes and trip purposes of individuals. Because of the urban canyon effects and mixed land use typical in high-density cities such as New York, speculating trip purposes has proved to be very challenging without qualitative information from survey participants. KW - Cities KW - Data collection KW - Geographic information systems KW - Global Positioning System KW - Mobile applications KW - Social media KW - Transportation modes KW - Travel surveys KW - Trip purpose KW - Urban street canyons UR - http://www.utrc2.org/research/projects/integrating-real%E2%80%90time-gis UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1357031 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01563860 TI - New Technologies and Bicycle Safety AB - The main object of the research object is to assess the travel behavior of the bicycle users, like travel speeds, use of bicycle route, stopping behavior at intersections and others. This project also aims to point out the characteristics of the route chosen by the cyclists, such as speed limit, traffic volume, and type of bicycle facilities. Finally, these inputs will be used for assessing user safety. Additionally, the project also aims to modify "The Cycle Atlanta" application for Knoxville, which could provide the huge array of data from the users about their travel characteristics. The results of the research project will be shared with Knoxville Transportation Planning Organization, bicycle program planners and the City of Knoxville Engineering Department to assist in bicycle planning and design, so that the agencies can more effectively prioritize investments regarding bicycle infrastructures. Besides all these, this projects will determine the difference in behavior of the regular bicyclists and bike share users, as these are two different groups of cyclists. KW - Cyclists KW - Highway safety KW - Intersections KW - Knoxville (Tennessee) KW - Planning and design KW - Route choice KW - Speed KW - Technological innovations KW - Traffic volume KW - Travel behavior UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1354966 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01562517 TI - Developing Generalized Linear Mixed Models For The Strategic Highway Safety Planning Process AB - Highway Safety has been identified as a very important problem worldwide. It has been found as the second cause of deaths in the world according to the United Nations (2010). In fact, only in the US, the effects of road crashes cost billions of dollars per year. The US Department of Transportation has established highway safety as one of their main priorities in their Action Plan. Several efforts are underway; however, in many states including Puerto Rico, most of the strategies implemented have a reactive or short-term planning approach. Such approach has generated some improvements in the current system, however, a proactive approach is necessary to consider highway safety aspects in the decision making process from the beginning of the generation of planning alternatives. The proposed research project will fit Generalized Linear Mixed Models (GLMM) to be used for the incorporation of highway safety in the strategic planning process. These GLMM have several advantages to predict crash rates including that they incorporate not only a set of explanatory variables but also random effects present in the system, which helps to explain possible correlation in the data. Therefore, these types of models offer great versatility in the modeling of crash rates and its related factors KW - Crash rates KW - Crashes KW - Fatalities KW - Generalized linear mixed model KW - Highway safety KW - Highway Safety Action Plan KW - Puerto Rico KW - Strategic planning KW - United States UR - http://www.utrc2.org/research/projects/developing-generalized-linear-mixed-models-strategic-highway-safety-planning UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1352305 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01553717 TI - Advanced Energy Management Strategy Development for Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles AB - Plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs) have great potential in reducing energy consumption and pollutant emissions, due to the use of electric batteries as another energy source. One of the critical considerations in PHEV development is the design of its energy management strategy, which determines how energy flows in a hybrid powertrain should be managed in response to a variety of system parameters. We propose to develop a generic framework for real-time energy management for PHEVs using connected vehicle technology. Different energy management strategies will be developed, evaluated, analyzed, and compared to existing commercial strategies. It is expected that using transportation system information obtained through being connected will result in greater fuel efficiency and better performance. KW - Adaptive control KW - Fuel consumption KW - Mobile communication systems KW - Plug-in hybrid vehicles KW - Real time information KW - Signalization UR - http://ncst.ucdavis.edu/project/ucr-dot-008 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1344134 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01553716 TI - Using Connected Vehicle Technology for Advanced Signal Control Strategies AB - Today's conventional traffic control strategies typically rely on measurements from point detection, and estimate traffic states such as queue length based on very limited information. The introduction of Connected Vehicle (CV) technology can potentially address these limitations of point detection via wireless communications to assist signal phase and timing optimization. The authors propose to develop agent-based online adaptive signal control strategies based on real-time traffic information available from CV technology. The authors will evaluate various strategies in terms of travel delay and fuel consumption, relative to conventional techniques, e.g., Highway Capacity Manual based methods. It is expected that the proposed strategies will out-perform the conventional methods in both mobility measures (e.g., travel time on an arterial corridor) and in fuel consumption. The new strategies should also be very robust to traffic demand variations. KW - Adaptive control KW - Fuel consumption KW - Mobile communication systems KW - Real time information KW - Signalization UR - http://ncst.ucdavis.edu/project/ucr-dot-009 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1344133 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01538280 AU - Hess, Daniel B AU - Ray, Paul AU - Attard, Nathan AU - State University of New York, Buffalo AU - University Transportation Research Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Connections Beyond Campus: An Evaluation of the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority-University at Buffalo Pilot Transit Pass Program PY - 2014/04/01/Final Report SP - 207p AB - Unlimited Access transit passes have become common sustainability programming at many colleges and universities in cities both large and small across the United States. In 2010, the University at Buffalo (UB), in partnership with the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority (NFTA), established a pilot program to provide select students, faculty, and staff with unlimited prepaid use of the NFTA Metro Rail, a 6.2 mile light-rail rapid transit system which connects Downtown Buffalo and UB’s South Campus and the neighborhoods between the two. Though other colleges and universities in Buffalo have been providing transit passes to students at their institutions since 2003, this was the first time in which the UB, the region’s largest institution of higher education with 28,600 students, entered into a transit pass agreement with the NFTA. The UB-NFTA Pilot Transit Pass Program concluded after 20 months at the end of the summer 2012 session. Overall, 1,923 students and 300 faculty and staff took part in the program. As the program concluded, it was not officially evaluated by UB. This report seeks to evaluate the effectiveness of the program in a number of focus areas, including the cost of the program to the parties involved, and also the benefits obtained both by the participating organizations and by individual transit pass users. This is accomplished through the use of both qualitative and quantitative analysis of the results of a university-wide survey conducted by the research team in April 2013. The analysis of this project revealed many expected and unexpected results. Some users of the transit pass were new Metro Rail riders, and some previously paid their own fares. The UB-NFTA transit pass was underpriced, which benefited UB and led to lost revenue for the NFTA throughout the course of the program. The program allowed 72 survey respondents to cease owning a vehicle, and 179 respondents to delay owning a vehicle, effectively reducing the cost of a UB education by thousands of dollars a year for participants who could utilize Metro Rail to commute to campus in place of an automobile. The UB-NFTA Pilot Transit Pass Program increased transportation choices and for the first time provided university community members a transportation subsidy which did not take the form of a parking space. UB officials have stated, however, that the intent of the UB-NFTA transit pass program was to provide a link between the South and Downtown campuses, and was not to serve as a commute subsidy. The UB-NFTA Pilot Transit Pass program had the potential to change modes of travel for students, faculty, and staff to the three UB campuses, and did for a short period of time, even if it was done unintentionally. Many survey respondents reported that widening their travel options, using public transit more, driving less, and reducing their carbon footprints were important personal benefits of the pilot transit pass program. UB’s pilot transit program provided many benefits to community members, from increased access to new destinations and housing, to reduced demand for parking. The design of a permanent UB-NFTA transit pass program, if an agreement is reached in the future, should help the NFTA mitigate lost revenue from pass holders, and should be understood as a means for UB to reduce future capital expenses and greenhouse gas emissions. Additionally, in creating a sustainable transportation system to serve its campuses, UB must carefully consider the equity implications of its existing parking and transportation fee structure, which in its current form incentivizes driving and penalizes public transit users and non-motorized travelers. KW - Buffalo (New York) KW - Campus transportation KW - Costs KW - Evaluation KW - Fare prepayment KW - Free fares KW - Modal shift KW - Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority KW - Public transit KW - Subsidies KW - Surveys KW - Sustainable transportation UR - http://www.utrc2.org/sites/default/files/pubs/Final-NFTA-Transit-Pass.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1321362 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01530180 TI - Integration of Microscopic Big Traffic Data in Driving-Simulation-Based Safety Analysis AB - This research project is the Initial Institution Initial Project for the University of Central Florida as proposed to the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) in the SAFER-SIM proposal. The project is envisioned to continue through the duration of the center to provide a sustained research effort. An emerging and promising direction in safety research is the use of microscopic traffic data in safety application and analysis. There are many infrastructure-based sensing technologies, e.g., microwave radars and loop detectors. The project proposes to use this data and extend it to include other types of sensing technologies that are not only infrastructure-based but include vehicle-based tracking for more refined data, i.e. global positioning (GPS). The project aims at collecting and integrating this data. Then using this traffic data, calibrate and validate traffic simulation models (e.g., VISSIM) to represent specific traffic conditions such as reduced visibility conditions. Actual behavior, such as gap distance and speed from field radars, can then be fed back to the microscopic model to calibrate and tune the model to more closely match real driving behavior. We intend to also investigate traffic parameters captured by vireo technology and develop a simulation tool based on this data to study dilemma zones decisions at signalized intersections. KW - Behavior KW - Driving simulators KW - Gap acceptance KW - Global Positioning System KW - Tracking systems KW - Traffic data KW - Traffic simulation UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1315588 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01526445 AU - Abbas, Montasir AU - Machiani, Sahar Ghanipoor AU - Garvey, Philip AU - Farkas, Andrew AU - Lord-Attivor, Rene AU - Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg AU - Pennsylvania State University, University Park AU - Morgan State University AU - Mid-Atlantic Universities Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Modeling the Dynamics of Driver's Dilemma Zone Perception Using Machine Learning Methods for Safer Intersection Control PY - 2014/04/01/Final Report SP - 89p AB - The "dilemma zone" (DZ) is defined as the area where drivers approaching a signalized intersection must decide to either proceed or stop at the onset of the yellow indication. Drivers that might perceive themselves to be too close to an intersection for a safe stop, and too far to proceed without violating traffic regulations, are said to be caught in DZ. Despite the vast body of related literature, there is a critical gap in research related to the "dynamic nature of drivers' decision" in dilemma zones. In order to identify and capture all significant factors beyond existing research, a driver survey was administered in the three states of Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Maryland. State-of-the-art techniques in human psychology, experimental design, and statistical analysis were used to design the survey and interpret the results. A driving simulator study was conducted to investigate the dynamic nature of driver perception of the dilemma zone and to assess significant factors affecting a driver's decision at the onset of yellow. In addition, the use of machine learning methods to capture the effect of a driver's learning/dynamic perception of DZ was investigated. Findings from this research suggest that drivers do learn from their experience and also that agent-based models can be used for modeling driver behavior in the dilemma zone more accurately than models that currently exist in the literature. The research team therefore recommends that agent-based modeling and simulation techniques should be used for assessing the impacts of dilemma zone mitigation strategies. KW - Decision making KW - Dilemma zone KW - Drivers KW - Driving simulators KW - Learning KW - Maryland KW - Pennsylvania KW - Perception KW - Surveys KW - Virginia UR - http://www.mautc.psu.edu/docs/MAUTC-2012-04.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/51000/51800/51825/MAUTC-2012-04.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1309529 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01524853 TI - Truck Driver Fatigue Assessment using a Virtual Reality System AB - The proposed project will use the CAVE Automated Virtual Reality Environment to develop a system capable of evaluating driver reactions and assess driver fatigue in a safe no-risk environment. Driver alertness and reactions will be tested under a variety of conditions (e.g. day, night, snow, rain, fog, etc.) and a variety of events will test the driver's awareness (e.g. lane closures, sudden traffic stops, construction, erratically behaving cars). Driver statistics such as lane location, driver crossing over dashed or solid white lines, reaction time and eyelid droop/closure will all be recorded and assessed. The project will consist of a research and hardware installation phase, a software implementation phase and a brief driver test phase. During the research phase, the project will categorize the relationship between shifting, braking and steering wheel response, so as to make the simulation as realistic as possible. A team of civil, mechanical, electrical and computer engineers and real-world truck drivers will be assembled to complete the project. It is anticipated that the largest effort in the project will be the software programming required to render the 3D graphical interface. The project will develop a proof of concept by testing a limited number of long-haul tractor trailer drivers both before their shift begins and at their maximum hourly limit. The real power of Rowan's CAVE™ Virtual Reality environment is the ability to mix virtual reality imagery with real devices. For this study, the driver will be placed in a bucket seat and use a steering wheel, shift lever and foot pedal interfaced into the system software. The driver will be able to traverse custom landscapes, while we test their response under controlled conditions. The intention will be to expand the initial project to run studies to assess driver fatigue for several permutations of driving and rest times for specific driving conditions (e.g. driving in heavy rain with darkened lighting or heavy snow with road glare for prolonged periods). The goal will be to determine if drivers would benefit from more frequent mandatory rest periods when driving in harsh driving conditions. The study may also be expanded to quantify the effect of driving during a midnight to 5am time frame versus a daytime time frame to assess its effect on fatigue. KW - Distraction KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Fatigue (Physiological condition) KW - Graphical user interfaces KW - Long haul carriers KW - Truck drivers KW - Virtual reality KW - Weather conditions UR - http://www.utrc2.org/research/projects/truck-driver-fatigue-assessment UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1308539 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01521836 TI - wirTraffic Prediction using Wireless Cellular Networks AB - The major objective of this project is to obtain traffic information accurately from existing wireless infrastructure. In this project freeway traffic will be 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 is 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. KW - Real time information KW - Smartphones KW - Traffic data KW - Traffic density KW - Traffic forecasting KW - Traveler information and communication systems KW - Wireless communication systems UR - http://www.utrc2.org/research/projects/traffic-prediction-using-wireless-cellular-networks UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1305388 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01517912 TI - Omitted Variable Bias in Crash Data Analysis AB - The objective of this project is to evaluate omitted variable bias in crash data analysis. Specifically, whether the omission of spatial determinants associated with road crashes leads to incorrect conclusions in models that use road links as the basis of the analysis. Previous research conducted in New Jersey has identified various area-based measures associated with both pedestrian and motor-vehicle crashes. These include area-based income measures, vehicle ownership levels, and population and employment patterns. Many features of the road environment, such as curvature, medians, lane and shoulder widths can influence the probability of vehicle crashes, and are the basis for most link-based crash analysis, since these can be easily measured for different links in the road network. The link-level data can therefore more accurately reflect the features of the road that are associated with crash probabilities, while spatial features can capture the socio-economic conditions of the area in which the road is located. Studies using spatial data as well as those using link-based data typically find statistically significant associations, however, only one study, to our knowledge, has combined these approaches to evaluate whether omitted variable bias occurs; in this case, a link-based study that tested the omission of spatial data in an intersection-based analysis (Mitra and Washington, 2012). This proposed study will seek to evaluate how the omission of key spatial variables from a link-based analysis may bias results of crash studies. Data from New Jersey will be used and different types of crashes will be evaluated (total crashes, fatal only, injury only, single vehicle, multi-vehicle, and pedestrian involved). Results will provide useful guidance not only on key factors associated with road crashes, but also will provide valuable input for developing more detailed road safety models, similar to those in AASHTOs Highway Safety Manual (AASHTO, 2010). KW - Crash data KW - Data analysis KW - Highway curves KW - Highway safety KW - Highway Safety Manual KW - New Jersey KW - Pedestrian-vehicle crashes KW - Single vehicle crashes UR - http://www.utrc2.org/research/projects/omitted-variable-bias-crash-data-analysis UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1301697 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01618691 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 II: Final Report PY - 2014/04//Final Report SP - 83p 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. This report proposes traveler information and transit solutions to help improve visitor transportation. The project team delivered a system that shares current road and trail status on a web map. This report includes recommendations for new trip planning maps and an app, updated visitor information pages, and integration with Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) traveler information systems. The transit recommendations include a phased roll-out of bus service to make it easy to reach and travel around the forest without a car. This transit system would expand an existing winter shuttle, then scale up to a new summer circulator. Full implementation would connect forest destinations to communities year-round. However, current conditions are unfavorable for transit due to the essentially unlimited amount of unofficial parking available in established recreation areas. The most feasible services to pursue in the near future are expanding existing winter service, working to improve rental vans and buses for non-profits, and introducing transit to new forest corridors, especially the Middle Fork. KW - Access KW - Alternatives analysis KW - Bus transit KW - Feasibility analysis KW - Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest KW - Parking KW - Recreation KW - Transportation planning KW - Traveler information and communication systems KW - Visitor transportation systems KW - Washington (State) KW - Web applications KW - Websites (Information retrieval) UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/60000/60200/60298/MBS_ATFS_PhaseII.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1436169 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01604586 AU - Horton, Suzanne AU - DaSilva, Marco AU - Ngamdung, Tashi AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Railroad Administration AU - Federal Railroad Administration TI - Evaluation of Education and Outreach Methods and Strategies: A Case Study of a Web-Based Rail Safety Education Initiative PY - 2014/04//Technical Report SP - 49p AB - The U. S. Department of Transportation’s (U.S. DOT) Research and Innovative Technology Administration’s (RITA) John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center (Volpe Center), under the direction of the U.S. DOT Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) Office of Research and Development (R&D), conducted a research study to evaluate the impact of an education program on highway-rail grade crossing safety. The Volpe Center worked in collaboration with Operation Lifesaver, Inc., (OLI) to evaluate the impact of the Web-based Rail Safety for Professional Drivers e-Learning Challenge (ProDriver Challenge). The evaluation was conducted using Federal safety data and information on the ProDriver Challenge collected from users about their experiences. The evaluation of the ProDriver Challenge e-learning module showed that it was targeting the appropriate audience; it was expanding the number of participants in OLI training, and users valued the experience. The evaluation also revealed areas for program improvement as well as next steps for education and outreach. KW - Case studies KW - E-learning KW - Outreach KW - Railroad grade crossings KW - Railroad safety KW - Safety education KW - Strategic planning UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/56000/56800/56888/EducationOutreachPilotStudy_final.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1414859 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01554388 AU - Rasmussen, Benjamin AU - Fijalkowski, Jared AU - Deaderick, Lauren AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service TI - Regional Alternative Transportation Evaluation Report, Region 6 PY - 2014/04//Final Report SP - 45p AB - The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Volpe Center (Volpe Center) conducted a regional alternative transportation evaluation (RATE) in Region 6, which is comprised of Colorado, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming. The RATE helps to ensure effective consideration and integration of alternative transportation systems into the goals and recommendations of the Region 6 long-range transportation plan (LRTP). KW - Alternatives analysis KW - Case studies KW - Colorado KW - Kansas KW - Long range planning KW - Montana KW - National Wildlife Refuge System KW - Nebraska KW - Nonmotorized transportation KW - North Dakota KW - Public transit KW - South Dakota KW - Transportation planning KW - Utah KW - Wyoming UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/54000/54400/54411/DOT-VNTSC-FWS-15-01.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1342225 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01552184 AU - Ferrell, Christopher E AU - Appleyard, Bruce S AU - San Jose State University AU - California Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Building Consensus and Partnerships for Implementing the MAP-21 Section 5310 Program in California PY - 2014/04//Final Report SP - 36p AB - The Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21) allows metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) or eligible large, urbanized area (UZA) agencies to assume administrative responsibility for Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Section 5310, the Enhanced Mobility of Seniors and Individuals with Disabilities grant program. Interviews were conducted with the state's 5310 stakeholders and California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) staff. An in-depth quantitative analysis of the existing administrative activities of the 5310 program was performed. Findings include: “full transition” to MPO Program administration could significantly reduce the benefits of the 5310 program for the entire state and leave smaller MPO's with insufficient funds to run programs; if Caltrans retains sole administrative responsibility, there is concern that local projects may not be a priority; stakeholders prefer a hybrid approach where they would partner with Caltrans, retain long-term flexibility, and build administrative capacities of all partners. KW - Administration KW - California KW - California Department of Transportation KW - Federal aid KW - Government funding KW - Metropolitan planning organizations KW - Partnerships KW - Stakeholders KW - United States Code. Title 49. Section 5310 UR - http://transweb.sjsu.edu/PDFs/research/1229-MAP-21-sec-5310-in-california.pdf UR - https://merritt.cdlib.org/d/ark%3A%2F13030%2Fm54n0jzb/1/producer%2F881459474.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1342281 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01549017 AU - Cruzado, Ivette AU - Valdés, Didier M AU - Calero, Carlos AU - University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez AU - University Transportation Research Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Speed and Design Consistency of Combined Horizontal and Vertical Alignments in Two-Lane Rural Roads PY - 2014/04//Final Report SP - 38p AB - One of the most important equations in highway design is the formula for the minimum radius of horizontal curve which considers the design speed of the highway, the superelevation, and the side friction factor. Traditionally, differences in the highway vertical alignment features, which are prevalent at areas with rolling and mountainous terrains, are not considered in this part of the design process. Past research has indicated that drivers perceive horizontal curves differently when compared with highway sections in which both horizontal and vertical curves overlap. To address this issue, speed data from over 20,000 vehicles were collected at 41 horizontal curves on ten rural two-lane highway segments in Puerto Rico. Preliminary analyses identified that speed patterns vary across several categories of terrain type, vertical alignment, and horizontal radius. A decision tree algorithm was developed on the basis of the collected data to the database to model the mean speeds along horizontal curves. The results of the model identified the terrain type as the variable that explains the most variability in operational speeds. Changes in vertical alignment (type of vertical curve), lane width, and horizontal radius were also identified as being influential variables, and therefore provide evidence to support the notion that highway design standards should consider the overlapping of horizontal and vertical curves. KW - Algorithms KW - Alignment KW - Highway curves KW - Highway design KW - Puerto Rico KW - Rural highways KW - Traffic speed KW - Two lane highways UR - http://www.utrc2.org/sites/default/files/pubs/Final%20Report-Two-Lane-Rural-Roads.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1336275 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01544542 AU - Parsons, Robert AU - Han, Jie AU - Glavinich, Thomas AU - Rahman, A J AU - Mid-America Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Permeability, Resistivity and Strength of Fouled Railroad Ballast PY - 2014/04//Final Report SP - 114p AB - Ballasted tracks are the most common tracks used in the railroad industry and are designed to provide a stable, safe, and efficient rail foundation. A ballasted track consists of superstructure (ties, fasteners, and rails), and substructure (ballast, sub-ballast, and subgrade layers). The main functions of ballast are to support the superstructure by distributing the loads from the moving train, and to provide lateral resistance to tie movement and drainage. However, ballast deterioration and fouling are major issues in the railroad industry, and can be caused by repeated loadings, which lead to the crushing of the ballast that is in contact with ties. Upward migration of subgrade particles into the ballast layer can increase fouling in the ballast and decrease drainage through the ballast layer. There is a need for methods to easily and inexpensively identify areas that have fouled ballast. The objective of this study was to evaluate the potential for using resistivity to estimate the level of fouling and permeability (hydraulic conductivity) of ballast. A test box was designed and fabricated in the lab at the University of Kansas to perform constant head permeability tests and soil resistivity tests. Constant head tests were conducted to determine the coefficient of permeability of fouled ballast for different fouling percentages. Soil resistivity tests were also conducted using the Wenner method (4 points method) to determine the resistivity of ballast for different fouling ratios. The tests showed a relationship between ballast resistivity and the fouling ratio. The resistance of the ballast layer decreased as the fouling ratio increased due to the presence of water. Fouled material retained water and filled the voids between the ballast particles, and therefore decreased resistivity in the ballast layer. The permeability also decreased as the fouling ratio increased due to the presence of fine particles between the ballast particles; therefore, permeability and resistivity were also correlated. The strength properties of clean and fouled ballast were also evaluated using large direct shear box and modified direct shear box (extension in height for the large direct shear box). Three types of fouling materials were tested (crushed ballast fines, clay, and coal dust) at different fouling ratios by dry weight of ballast. Test results showed that as the fouling ratio increased, strength of ballast decreased for both set of tests (large direct shear and modified direct shear). Moreover, samples fouled with more than 10% coal dust showed a significant decrease in strength properties. Samples fouled with clay showed a significant strength reduction at about 40% fouling. A large scale sample of heavily fouled ballast was constructed and tested under wet conditions. The four point Wenner method was used to measure resistivity at depths of eighteen inches, twelve inches and six inches. The results show that as the depth increased, resistivity increased. The higher resistivities at greater depths were interpreted to be representative of drier material, while the near surface material had a lower resistivity due to the addition of water to the surface. KW - Ballast (Railroads) KW - Deterioration KW - Drainage KW - Electrical resistivity KW - Permeability KW - Railroad tracks KW - Shear tests UR - http://matc.unl.edu/assets/documents/matcfinal/Parsons_PropertiesofFouledRecycledBallast.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1331072 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01543102 AU - Lederman, Jaimee AU - Wachs, Martin AU - University of California Transportation Center (UCTC) AU - University of California, Los Angeles AU - California Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Transportation and Habitat Conservation Plans: Improving Planning and Project Delivery While Preserving Endangered Species PY - 2014/04 SP - 151p AB - The development of transportation infrastructure requires a long planning, funding, and implementation cycle that can take over a decade for a large-scale project. Environmental mitigation to meet requirements of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) is usually undertaken late in this process and for the single project being planned. Habitat Conservation Plans (HCPs) provide an alternative model and are becoming increasingly popular, consisting of early regional mitigation needs assessment and advanced planning for habitat or landscape-level impacts from multiple infrastructure projects. This approach promises several potential benefits including reduced project delays, lower mitigation and transaction costs, and improved conditions for the affected species. This report reviews the current status of landscape-level HCPs (sometimes referred to as “area-wide”) and, based upon a national survey of those either implementing or developing them, examines their use in the transportation infrastructure planning process. This research demonstrates that this model is growing in popularity and holds promise for further development as an approach to both habitat preservation and infrastructure development. KW - Conservation KW - Endangered species KW - Habitat (Ecology) KW - Programming (Planning) KW - Project delivery KW - Transportation planning UR - http://uctc.net/research/papers/UCTC-FR-2014-04.pdf UR - https://merritt.cdlib.org/d/ark%3A%2F13030%2Fm54t7zhv/1/producer%2F890237812.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1323140 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01538144 AU - Wunsch, Donald AU - Schumacher, Bryce AU - Center for Transportation Infrastructure and Safety/NUTC program AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Adapting Risk Management and Computational Intelligence Network Optimization Techniques to Improve Traffic Throughput and Tail Risk Analysis PY - 2014/04//Final Report SP - 12p AB - Risk management techniques are used to analyze fluctuations in uncontrollable variables and keep those fluctuations from impeding the core function of a system or business. Examples of this are making sure that volatility in copper and aluminum prices do not force an aircraft manufacturer to abruptly shut down manufacturing and making sure a failed bank or state does not cause an entire financial system to fail. Computer network optimization techniques involve many nodes and routes communicating to maximize throughput of data while making sure not to deadlock high priority or time sensitive data. This project will involve exploring possible remappings of these application spaces from risk and computer networks to traffic. Some of these possible mappings include mapping flash crashes and black swans to traffic jams, bank failure to construction or traffic accidents, data packets to vehicles, network routers to traffic lights and other intersection policies. Due to the large data and large solution/ state/ policy spaces computational intelligence techniques are a natural fit for traffic as they are for risk management and computer network optimization. KW - Computer networks KW - Data communications KW - Optimization KW - Risk management KW - Traffic KW - Traffic data UR - http://transportation.mst.edu/media/research/transportation/documents/R348%20Final%20Report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1322481 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01537731 AU - Hess, Daniel Baldwin AU - Ray, Paul AU - Attard, Nathan AU - University at Buffalo AU - University Transportation Research Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Energy Savings from Transit Passes: An Evaluation of the University at Buffalo NFTA Transit Pass Program for Students, Faculty, and Staff PY - 2014/04//Final Report SP - 207p AB - The University Transportation Research Center – Region 2 supported a study entitled “Connections Beyond Campus: An Evaluation of the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority – University at Buffalo Transit Pass Program”. Unlimited Access transit passes have become common sustainability programming at many colleges and universities in cities both large and small across the United States. In 2010, the University at Buffalo (UB), in partnership with the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority (NFTA), established a pilot program to provide select students, faculty, and staff with unlimited prepaid use of the NFTA Metro Rail, a 6.2 mile light-rail rapid transit system which connects Downtown Buffalo and UB’s South Campus and the neighborhoods between the two. Though other colleges and universities in Buffalo have been providing transit passes to students at their institutions since 2003, this was the first time in which the UB, the region’s largest institution of higher education with 28,600 students, entered into a transit pass agreement with the NFTA. The UB-NFTA Pilot Transit Pass Program concluded after 20 months at the end of the summer 2012 session. Overall, 1,923 students and 300 faculty and staff took part in the program. As the program concluded, it was not officially evaluated by UB. This report seeks to evaluate the effectiveness of the program in a number of focus areas, including the cost of the program to the parties involved, and also the benefits obtained both by the participating organizations and by individual transit pass users. This is accomplished through the use of both qualitative and quantitative analysis of the results of a university-wide survey conducted by the research team in April 2013. The analysis of this project revealed many expected and unexpected results. Some users of the transit pass were new Metro Rail riders, and some previously paid their own fares. The UB-NFTA transit pass was underpriced, which benefited UB and led to lost revenue for the NFTA throughout the course of the program. The program allowed 72 survey respondents to cease owning a vehicle, and 179 respondents to delay owning a vehicle, effectively reducing the cost of a UB education by thousands of dollars a year for participants who could utilize Metro Rail to commute to campus in place of an automobile. The UB-NFTA Pilot Transit Pass Program increased transportation choices and for the first time provided university community members a transportation subsidy which did not take the form of a parking space. UB officials have stated, however, that the intent of the UB-NFTA transit pass program was to provide a link between the South and Downtown campuses, and was not to serve as a commute subsidy. The UB-NFTA Pilot Transit Pass program had the potential to change modes of travel for students, faculty, and staff to the three UB campuses, and did for a short period of time, even if it was done unintentionally. Many survey respondents reported that widening their travel options, using public transit more, driving less, and reducing their carbon footprints were important personal benefits of the pilot transit pass program. UB’s pilot transit program provided many benefits to community members, from increased access to new destinations and housing, to reduced demand for parking. The design of a permanent UBNFTA transit pass program, if an agreement is reached in the future, should help the NFTA mitigate lost revenue from pass holders, and should be understood as a means for UB to reduce future capital expenses and greenhouse gas emissions. Additionally, in creating a sustainable transportation system to serve its campuses, UB must carefully consider the equity implications of its existing parking and transportation fee structure, which in its current form incentivizes driving and penalizes public transit users and non-motorized travelers. KW - Benefits KW - College students KW - Costs KW - Greenhouse gases KW - Modal shift KW - Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority KW - Passes (Transportation) KW - Personnel KW - Public transit KW - Rail transit KW - Surveys KW - Sustainable transportation KW - Universities and colleges KW - University at Buffalo KW - University faculty UR - http://www.utrc2.org/sites/default/files/pubs/Final-NFTA-Transit-Pass.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1323196 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01537421 AU - Chandrashekhara, K AU - Center for Transportation Infrastructure and Safety/NUTC program AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Advanced Moisture Modeling of Polymer Composites PY - 2014/04//Final Report SP - 19p AB - Long term moisture exposure has been shown to affect the mechanical performance of polymeric composite structures. This reduction in mechanical performance must be considered during product design in order to ensure long term structure survival. In order to determine the long-term moisture effects on composite components, representative parts are commonly tested after having been exposed to an accelerated moisture conditioning environment. Accelerated moisture conditions are established in order to rapidly drive moisture into test specimens simulating worst-case long term exposure scenarios. Currently accepted methodologies for analyzing the time required to condition specimens are limited, allowing only simple geometry and an assumption that diffusivity rates are independent of the flow path or direction. Therefore, a more advanced finite element method is desired. In the current work, a three-dimensional model is developed and implemented in commercial finite element code. The parametric study has been conducted for 3D shapes, moisture diffusion pathways, and varying moisture and temperature conditions. Finite element results are validated with a one-dimensional analytical model and experimental results. The moisture model developed for the homogeneous composite laminate is extended for hybrid composites. In the following study, the moisture diffusion characteristics in two-phase hybrid composites using moisture concentration-dependent diffusion method have been investigated. The two phases are unidirectional S-glass fiber-reinforced epoxy matrix and unidirectional graphite fiber-reinforced epoxy matrix. A user-defined subroutine was developed to implement this method into commercial finite element code. Three-dimensional finite element models were developed to investigate the moisture diffusion in hybrid composites. A normalization approach was also integrated in the model to remove the moisture concentration discontinuity at the interface of different material components. The moisture diffusion in the three-layer hybrid composite exposed to 45 ºC/84% relative humidity for 70 days was simulated and validated by comparing the simulation results with experimental findings. KW - Composite materials KW - Fiber reinforced polymers KW - Finite element method KW - Mathematical models KW - Moisture conditioning KW - Moisture diffusion KW - Polymer composites KW - Simulation KW - Validation UR - http://transportation.mst.edu/media/research/transportation/documents/R296%20Final%20Report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1321498 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01536610 AU - Yahalom, Shmuel AU - Johansson, Eric AU - Fink, Ernest J AU - Chang, Guan AU - Kopits, Steve AU - Losz, Akos AU - Singer, Joshua AU - Choi, Joseph AU - Ozbay, Kaan AU - State University of New York Maritime College, Bronx AU - University Transportation Research Center AU - New Jersey Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Offshore Wind Development Research PY - 2014/04//Final Report SP - 80p AB - Offshore wind (OSW) development is a new undertaking in the U.S. This project is a response to New Jersey’s 2011 Energy Master Plan that envisions procuring 22.5% of the state’s power originating from renewable sources by 2021. The Offshore Wind Economic Development Act called for at least 1,100 MW of Offshore Wind generations to be subsidized by an Offshore Wind Renewable Energy Certificate program. The overreaching goal of this research is to provide information and recommendations for the maritime aspects, both vessel and port interface. The study, using the European experience, identifies vessel types, vessel installation methods, needs and operating characteristics through all phases of OSW development. It also identifies regulatory or legislative requirements and/or other road blocks to the use of particular vessels. The study seeks competitive advantages and disadvantages of vessel acquisition, lease, construction or other alternatives. The study proposes solutions and recommendations that best position the State of New Jersey to be the national leader in OSW development, including potential interstate or cooperative endeavors. Financial aspects and considerations of vessel acquisition are presented. The research also proposes a port/OSW industry interface strategy for short-, mid-, and long-term industry development. In general, the study identifies the maritime port life-cycle requirements for installation, construction, operation and maintenance based on geographic factors, and the potential for multi-use development at New Jersey’s East Coast ports. Finally, the study highlights the economic impact of OSW development on the state population and the energy-generating industry. The study recommends the development of a clear OSW policy with a commitment of budgets and in partnerships with industry and other stakeholders. KW - Economic impacts KW - Europe KW - Literature reviews KW - New Jersey KW - Offshore construction KW - Offshore structures KW - Offshore wind farms KW - Ports KW - Recommendations KW - Regulations KW - Ships KW - Wind power generation UR - http://www.utrc2.org/sites/default/files/pubs/Final-Offshore-Wind-Development.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1321352 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01530920 AU - Yanagisawa, Mikio AU - Swanson, Elizabeth AU - Najm, Wassim G AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration TI - Target Crashes and Safety Benefits Estimation Methodology for Pedestrian Crash Avoidance/Mitigation Systems PY - 2014/04 SP - 103p AB - Through the analysis of national crash databases from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, pre-crash scenarios are identified, prioritized, and described for the development of objective tests for pedestrian crash avoidance/mitigation (PCAM) systems. PCAM systems address vehicle-pedestrian crashes where a light vehicle is moving forward on a collision path with a detected pedestrian. “Light vehicle” includes any passenger car, van, minivan, sport utility vehicle, or light pickup truck with a gross vehicle weight rating up to 10,000 pounds. These systems, through the use of driver warning, brake assist, or autonomous braking, will attempt to avoid, or at least mitigate the injury severity of an imminent crash with a pedestrian by reducing the speed of the vehicle prior to impact, thus resulting in a potential safety benefit. An analysis in terms of vehicle and pedestrian maneuvers identified four recommended scenarios to maximize potential safety benefits for PCAM systems. Simple safety benefit estimation is presented in terms of the methodology, equations, assumptions, and key parameters used to estimate potential system effectiveness and safety benefits. Safety benefits, in terms of pedestrian injuries avoided and pedestrian injuries mitigated, are expressed in terms of reductions in annual harm measures. KW - Audible warning devices in vehicles KW - Automated vehicle control KW - Crash avoidance systems KW - Injury severity KW - Light vehicles KW - Methodology KW - Pedestrian safety KW - Pedestrian-vehicle crashes UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/51000/51900/51947/811998-TargCrashSafBenEstMethPedCrashAvMitSys.pdf?utm_source=GovDelivery&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=June%20newsletter UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1314139 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01530899 AU - Motamed, Moggan AU - Machemehl, Randy AU - University of Texas, Austin AU - Southwest Region University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Real Time Freeway Incident Detection PY - 2014/04 SP - 42p AB - The US Department of Transportation (US-DOT) estimates that over half of all congestion events are caused by highway incidents rather than by rush-hour traffic in big cities. Real-time incident detection on freeways is an important part of any modern traffic control center operation because it offers an opportunity to maximize road system performance. An effective incident detection and management operation cannot prevent incidents, however, it can diminish the impacts of non-recurring congestion problems. The main purpose of real-time incident detection is to reduce delay and the number of secondary accidents, and to improve safety and travel information during unusual traffic conditions. The purpose of this project is to evaluate two recently developed automatic incident detection algorithms. The majority of automatic incident detection algorithms are focused on identifying traffic incident patterns but may not adequately investigate possible similarities in patterns observed under incident-free conditions. When traffic demand exceeds road capacity, the traffic speed decreases significantly and the traffic enters a highly unstable regime often referred to as “stop-and-go” conditions. The most challenging part of real-time incident detection is recognition of traffic pattern changes when incidents happen during stop-and-go conditions. This work describes a case study evaluation of two recently evolved incident detection methods using data from the Dallas, Texas traffic control center. KW - Algorithms KW - Case studies KW - Congestion management systems KW - Dallas (Texas) KW - Freeways KW - Incident detection KW - Real time information KW - Traffic control KW - Traffic flow UR - http://swutc.tamu.edu/publications/technicalreports/600451-00083-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1313972 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01530269 AU - Rodier, Caroline J AU - Lee, Richard AU - Haydu, Brandon AU - Linesch, Nicholas J AU - San Jose State University AU - California Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Active Travel Co-Benefits of Travel Demand Management Policies that Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions PY - 2014/04//Final report SP - 44p AB - In this study, California’s activity-based travel demand model (ABM) is applied to demonstrate how such travel models can be used to produce the active travel data (age and sex distributions) required by comparative risk assessment models to estimate health outcomes for alternative land use and transport plans. It also shows how to identify the magnitude of change in active travel that may be possible from land use, transit, and vehicle pricing policies for California and its five major regions over the next 20 years. The results of this study suggest that distance-based vehicle pricing may increase walking by about 10% and biking by about 17%, and concurrently greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) from vehicle miles of travel (VMT) may be reduced by about 16%. Transit expansion and supportive development patterns may increase active travel by about 2% to 3% for both walk and bike modes while also reducing VMT by about 4% on average. The combination of all three policies may increase time spent walking by about 13% and biking by about 19%, and reduce VMT by about 19%. KW - Bicycling KW - California KW - Greenhouse gases KW - Land use KW - Nonmotorized transportation KW - Public transit KW - Transportation policy KW - Travel demand KW - Travel demand management KW - Vehicle miles of travel KW - Walking UR - http://transweb.sjsu.edu/PDFs/research/1109-active-travel-greenhouse-gas-reduction.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1307327 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01529299 AU - Ohman, Jon M AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration TI - FMCSA Safety Program Effectiveness Measurement: Compliance Review Effectiveness Model Results for Carriers With Compliance Reviews in Fiscal Year 2009 PY - 2014/04//Final Report SP - 30p AB - In FY 2009, Federal and State enforcement personnel conducted more than 15,000 compliance reviews (CRs) on individual motor carriers. It is intended that through education, heightened safety regulation awareness, and the enforcement effects of the CR, carriers will improve the safety of their commercial vehicle operations and, ultimately, reduce the number and severity of crashes in which they are involved. The CR Effectiveness Model measures the direct impact of CRs on carriers that received CRs. The model is based on the individual and cumulative “before and after” changes in the safety performance of carriers that received CRs in a given year. The model compares a motor carrier’s crash rate in the 12 months following an onsite CR to its crash rate in the 12 months prior to that review. The model uses crash data reported by the States and power unit data reported by carriers or obtained during CRs to calculate both the before-CR and after-CR crash rates. This report documents the benefits derived from performing CRs on motor carriers in terms of crashes avoided, as well as lives saved and injuries prevented. KW - Before and after studies KW - Commercial vehicles KW - Crash rates KW - Motor carriers KW - Safety programs KW - Trucking safety UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/51000/51800/51844/13-047-Compliance_Review_Effectiveness_Model_Results_for_Carriers_w_CRS_in_FY09-Full_Report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1312407 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01526412 AU - Hurlebaus, Stefan AU - Briaud, Jean-Louis AU - Tucker, Stacey AU - Texas A&M Transportation Institute AU - Southwest Region University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Sustainability of Bridge Foundations Using Electrical Resistivity Imaging and Induced Polarization to Support Transportation Safety PY - 2014/04//Research Report SP - 161p AB - As of September 2007, there were 67,240 U.S. bridges in the National Bridge Inventory classified as having unknown foundations (Federal Highway Administration 2008). The bridges spanning rivers are of critical importance due to the risks of potential scour. In fact, it is estimated that 60 percent of all bridge collapses are due to scour (Parola et al. 1997). Not only are these failures costly, they can be deadly for the traveling public. On April 5, 1987, 10 people were killed in New York when a pier collapsed on the Schoharie Creek Bridge causing two spans of the deck to fall into the creek. Several other fatal collapses have occurred since the Schoharie Creek Bridge failure. Detecting scour is only part of the assessment that must take place to determine risk of failure and knowing the foundation depth is a critical component of the assessment. This research explored the feasibility and effectiveness of induced polarization (IP) and electrical resistivity imaging (ERI), near surface geophysical methods, for determining the depth of unknown foundations. With budget cuts and deteriorating infrastructure, there is a need to seek alternative solutions for nondestructive structural integrity testing that are more robust to limit bridge failures that hinder transportation safety. The existing methods for unknown bridge foundations in the literature are often hindered by the type of foundation or require the use of a borehole, making them very costly. As a result, only a few states are working to identify the depth of unknown bridge foundations around them. In order to solve this national problem, a new and effective method needs to be investigated with full scale bridge testing and disseminated nationwide. In this work, an experimental study was conducted at a National Geotechnical Experimentation Site (NGES) to identify key parameters for the testing design and setup in order to obtain optimal surveys of bridge foundations. The conclusions of the NGES investigations were used to plan the field surveys on four bridges with known foundations. The outcomes of the four bridges showed that IP and ERI can be used in concert with one another to estimate the type and depth of bridge foundations. The results of the field surveys were used to create a probability of non-exceedance curve for future predictions of unknown bridge foundations using the methods described in this research. Finally, the probability of exceedance curve was used to validate the method with testing on a foundation unknown at the time of testing, and the use of IP and ERI were extended to other subsurface infrastructure when a gas line was imaged. KW - Bridge foundations KW - Depth KW - Electrical resistivity KW - Feasibility analysis KW - Field studies KW - National Geotechnical Experimentation Site KW - Polarization KW - Scour KW - Test procedures UR - http://swutc.tamu.edu/publications/technicalreports/600451-00028-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1308852 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01526350 AU - Burris, Mark AU - Danda, Santosh Rao AU - Texas A&M Transportation Institute AU - Southwest Region University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Empirical Measurement of Travelers’ Value of Reliability PY - 2014/04//Technical Report SP - 50p AB - Time and reliability are two fundamental factors influencing travel behavior and demand. The concept of the value of time (VOT) has been extensively studied, and estimates of VOT have been obtained from surveys and empirical data. On the other hand, although the importance of value of reliability (VOR) is appreciated, research related to VOR is still in its early stages. The VOR has been estimated using surveys but has almost never been estimated using empirical data. This research used empirical data to take an initial step toward understanding the importance of travel time reliability. Katy Freeway travelers face a daily choice between reliable tolled lanes and less reliable but untolled lanes. An extensive dataset of Katy Freeway travel was used to examine the influence of time, reliability, and toll on lane-choice behavior. Lane choice was estimated using multinomial logit models. Basic models, including only travel time and toll, yielded reasonable results. Models included VOTs of $2.60/hour, $8.63/hour, and $10.71/hour for off-peak, shoulder, and peak-period travelers, respectively. However, adding a managed-lane (ML) alternative specific coefficient to these models resulted in positive coefficients for the toll variable and negative VOTs. Similarly, adding reliability to the models resulted in counter-intuitive results. Researchers concluded that additional research on how travelers perceive the reliability and time savings on MLs is needed because modeling real-world choices of MLs using the standard definitions of reliability and time savings led to counter-intuitive results. KW - Katy Freeway (Houston, Texas) KW - Managed lanes KW - Reliability KW - Route choice KW - Tolls KW - Traffic lanes KW - Travel behavior KW - Travel time KW - Value of time UR - http://swutc.tamu.edu/publications/technicalreports/161304-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1308848 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01526288 AU - Kim, Yail Jimmy AU - Mountain-Plains Consortium AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - A Novel Methodology for Quantifying the Performance of Constructed Bridges in Cold Regions PY - 2014/04 SP - 50p AB - This report presents a two-part research program examining the performance of constructed bridges in a cold region, represented by those in the State of North Dakota, and the behavior of concrete members strengthened with carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) composite sheets in such a service condition. For the first phase, a total of 1,328 decks are sampled from a 15-year inspection period. These data are statistically characterized and probabilistically analyzed. The second part of the research concerns predictive investigations into the axial behavior of concrete exposed to aggressive service environments. Two types of concrete cylinders are studied: unconfined and confined with CFRP sheets. The aggressive environment and service traffic load are represented by freeze-wet-dry cycles with various levels of instantaneous compression load varying from 0% to 60% of the capacities of the unconfined and confined control concrete. Research approaches include three-dimensional deterministic finite element and probabilistic models, associated with a previously conducted experimental program. The effect of the instantaneous live load is significant on the performance of the unconfined and confined concrete, including the variation of compliance and volumetric characteristics. KW - Bridge decks KW - Bridge design KW - Carbon fibers KW - Fiber reinforced polymers KW - Finite element method KW - Frigid regions KW - Inspection KW - Methodology KW - North Dakota KW - Statistical analysis KW - Traffic loads UR - http://www.mountain-plains.org/pubs/pdf/MPC14-266.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1308460 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01526284 AU - Audino, Michael J AU - Goodwill, Jay A AU - National Center for Transit Research AU - Florida Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Impacts of Dialysis Transportation on Florida’s Coordinated Public Transportation Programs PY - 2014/04//Final Report SP - 91p AB - The National Center for Transit Research (NCTR) at the University of South Florida (USF) collected quantitative and qualitative data from Community Transportation Coordinators (CTCs) throughout Florida. An online survey and a series of personal interviews provided insight into the following issues: (1) How the supply of and demand for dialysis transportation has changed over the past 5 years. (2) How the increase in dialysis trips is impacting the operations and financial condition of CTCs. (3) How the impacts of dialysis trips differ among rural-oriented CTCs, urban-oriented CTCs, and urban-oriented CTCs which are part of a public transit agency. (4) What unique transportation services are being implemented by CTCs to meet the increasing demand for non-Medicaid- funded dialysis trips. (5) How CTCs are preparing for increased transportation demand associated with increased need for dialysis treatment. KW - Community transportation KW - Diseases and medical conditions KW - Florida KW - Medical trips KW - Mobility KW - Paratransit services KW - Surveys KW - Travel demand UR - http://www.fdot.gov/research/Completed_Proj/Summary_PTO/FDOT-BDK85-977-46-rpt.pdf UR - http://www.nctr.usf.edu/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/77951.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1309686 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01526267 AU - Goodwin, Gwendolyn C AU - Schoby, Jamaal AU - Council, Walter AU - Texas Southern University AU - Southwest Region University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - An Examination of Severe Environmental Justice Zones : A Houston, Texas Case Study PY - 2014/04 SP - 34p AB - Declining federal subsidies are limiting transportation capacity at the regional and local levels. At the same time, federally funded agencies must comply with Executive Order (EO) 12898, which augments Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The EO states that agencies are to identify burdens and benefits to vulnerable populations. Prior to the 2010, demographic and socioeconomic data collected from the decennial census, the American Community Survey (ACS) and the United States Department of Health and Human Services were used to classify environmental justice zones (EJZs). In the 2010 decennial census, the U.S. Census Bureau eliminated the long-form, which reduced the data available to perform adequate environmental justice analyses. Currently, metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) use the ACS which provides limited data. MPOs must now develop innovative strategies to determine environmental justice zones. In previous work, a methodology for identifying EJZs in the Houston transportation management area (TMA) was created for the MPO. This methodology analyzed the level of transportation investment in severe census tracts. The methodology included a three-tier process. First, the EJZs and non-EJZs were identified based on the distribution of variables throughout the census tracts. Of the 1,066 tracts within the Houston TMA, there was usable data for 1,062 tracts. About 356 (34%) were classified as EJZs. Among EJ tracts, 209 (20%) were low EJ, 107 (10%) were medium EJ, 32 (3%) were high EJ, and 8 (1%) were extreme EJ tracts. For purposes of this study, only these eight extreme EJZs are discussed in more detail. The second tier analysis developed community profiles for these extreme EJZs. In the third tier, transportation mobility accessibility options were described for the extreme EJZs, including an automobile versus public transit comparison. The study found that one of the EJ areas had the best travel times and good access to transit and light rail. This was primarily due to its close proximity to the Central Business District (CBD). Study areas located the farthest from the CBD reported higher car ownership. KW - Accessibility KW - American Community Survey KW - Case studies KW - Environmental justice KW - Houston (Texas) KW - Low income groups KW - Methodology KW - Metropolitan planning organizations KW - Minorities KW - Mobility KW - Travel time UR - http://swutc.tamu.edu/publications/technicalreports/600451-00046-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1308849 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01523306 AU - Bennert, Thomas AU - Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation AU - New Jersey Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Laboratory Evaluation of Foamed Warm Mix Asphalt PY - 2014/04//Final Report SP - 31p AB - Many of New Jersey’s asphalt suppliers have elected to invest in Warm Mixed Asphalt systems that utilize water to foam the asphalt. Foaming the asphalt binder reduces the viscosity of the asphalt binder by increasing its surface area. Theoretically, this provides a more uniform coating on the aggregates, as well increasing the workability of the asphalt mixture. Unfortunately, limited research and data has been reported on the use and performance of foamed asphalt for warm mix asphalt. This project will evaluate the potential mix design changes that may be required to allow foamed WMA, as well as the general material performance. A laboratory investigation generating foamed warm mix asphalt will be conducted. KW - Bituminous binders KW - Foamed asphalt KW - Laboratory tests KW - Mix design KW - New Jersey KW - Warm mix paving mixtures UR - http://cait.rutgers.edu/files/NJAPA-RU9247-final_0.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1306954 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01523074 AU - Gabree, Scott H AU - Chase, Stephanie AU - daSilva, Marco AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Railroad Administration TI - Effect of Dynamic Envelope Pavement Markings on Vehicle Driver Behavior at a Highway-Rail Grade Crossing PY - 2014/04 SP - 49p AB - The U. S. Department of Transportation’s (U.S. DOT) Research and Innovative Technology Administration’s (RITA) John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center (Volpe Center), under the direction of the U.S. DOT Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) Office of Research and Development (R&D), conducted a research study to evaluate the effectiveness of roadway pavement markings placed within the dynamic envelope, the region between and immediately adjacent to the tracks at a highway-rail grade crossing, and new corresponding signage at the Commercial Boulevard grade crossing in Ft. Lauderdale, FL. The goal of the added markings and signage is to reduce the number of vehicles that come to a stop within the dynamic envelope, a violation of most applicable State highway traffic laws, thus reducing the possibility that a vehicle is present on the tracks when a train approaches. Results indicate that the addition of the dynamic envelope pavement markings and modified signage reduced the number of vehicles that stopped within the dynamic envelope zone and increased the number of vehicles that stopped properly—safely behind the stop line. Though these results seem to indicate that dynamic envelope pavement markings and signage may be an effective way to increase safe behavior, these safety enhancements have only been studied at one crossing. Additional field testing is necessary before recommendations for wider use can be made. KW - Behavior KW - Drivers KW - Dynamic envelope KW - Fort Lauderdale (Florida) KW - Highway safety KW - Railroad grade crossings KW - Railroad safety KW - Road markings KW - Traffic signs KW - Traffic violations UR - http://www.fra.dot.gov/Elib/Document/3627 UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/51000/51600/51605/Dynamic_Envelope_Pavement_Markings.pdf?utm_source=externalnewsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=april UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1305875 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01530989 AU - Meegoda, Jay N AU - Gao, Shengyan AU - New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark AU - University Transportation Research Center AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Optimum Fund Allocations to Rehabilitate Transport Infrastructure PY - 2014/03/31/Final Report SP - 49p AB - Transportation Infrastructure in the U.S. is in need of maintenance and rehabilitation. Preservation of road networks at an acceptable level of serviceability subject to the stringent yearly maintenance and rehabilitation (M&R) budgets is a major challenge for State Departments of Transportation (DOTs). Decision-makers are required to develop an optimum financial plan to minimize the total cost of maintenance and rehabilitation for different expected improvement of the road network performance level during a given planning horizon. This research developed a network level budget planning model, a valuable tool for decision makers of DOTs to determine the required minimum network budget and optimal budget allocations. This decision tool can compute the minimum amount of investment needed for a pavement network over a certain planning horizon to achieve specific network level condition state and recommend the best allocation of available budget among competing projects for different treatment strategies of maintenance and rehabilitation each year. This network-level optimization tool integrates a linear programming model and a deterministic roughness progression model which accounts the pavement deterioration. The effect of the uniformity of the annual optimum budget distribution on budget planning is also considered. The flexible pavement condition data from New Jersey Highway Network is used to validate the proposed model. This optimization tool demonstrates its ability to calculate the minimum budget required to achieve a desired level of pavement network condition state and to determine the corresponding optimal treatment scheduling. The developed network-level budget planning model can be used by highway agencies as a decision support tool for network level pavement management. KW - Budgeting KW - Decision support systems KW - Infrastructure KW - Optimization KW - Pavement maintenance KW - Pavement management systems KW - Rehabilitation (Maintenance) KW - Roughness UR - http://www.utrc2.org/sites/default/files/pubs/final-optimum-fund-allocation_0.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1315784 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01529322 AU - Lee, Brian H Y AU - Azaria, Dale AU - Neely, Sean AU - UVM Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Work Zones and Travel Speeds: The Effects of Uniform Traffic Officers & Other Speed Management Measures PY - 2014/03/31 SP - 41p AB - Improving safety conditions in work zones, for both the workers as well as the travelers, is a major national concern, especially in light of the country’s aging transportation infrastructure that requires increasing amount of maintenance, repair, and reconstruction work. The focus of this research project is on enhanced enforcement of work zone traffic laws, with a specific emphasis on the effects of Uniform Traffic Officers (UTO) and other speed management measures on driver compliance with reduced work zone speed limits. For the purpose of this study, UTO are police officers contracted for construction projects where the road remains open to travelers. The officers are stationed in marked police vehicles with the blue lights flashing and parked within project work zones while road workers are active. Typically, UTO remain inside the police vehicles but sometimes they may be on the roadway to help direct traffic, especially when temporary lane closures are needed or interactions are expected between road workers or construction equipment and the parts of the road that are open to the public. UTO do not normally perform enforcement duties and are used primarily for their presence. The use of police officers for various forms of enforcement for speeding and other moving violations is different from the use of UTO and considered as one of the other speed management measures in this project. The goal of this work is to assess the effectiveness of UTO and other interventions on maintaining safe travel speeds and to help guide the Vermont Agency of Transportation (VAOT) in the provision of proper resource allocation for improving work zone safety. KW - Behavior KW - Drivers KW - Police KW - Speed control KW - Traffic law enforcement KW - Vermont KW - Work zone safety KW - Work zone traffic control UR - http://transctr.w3.uvm.edu/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/TRC-Report-14-004-Final-Work-Zones-and-Travel-Speeds.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1312421 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01522320 AU - Becker, Christopher AU - Van Eikema Hommes, Qi AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center TI - Transportation Systems Safety Hazard Analysis Tool (SafetyHAT) User Guide (Version 1.0) PY - 2014/03/24 SP - 77p AB - This is a user guide for the transportation system Safety Hazard Analysis Tool (SafetyHAT) Version 1.0. SafetyHAT is a software tool that facilitates System Theoretic Process Analysis (STPA). This user guide provides instructions on how to download, install, and use SafetyHAT version 1.0. KW - Algorithms KW - Computer program documentation KW - Hazard analysis KW - SafetyHAT (Software) KW - Software KW - System safety KW - Systems analysis UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/51000/51500/51522/SafetyHAT_User_Guide_v1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1306562 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01530124 TI - Characterizing and Quantifying the Shrinkage Resistance of Alkali Activated (Cement Free) Concrete and Evaluating Potential Methods for Reducing Early Age Cracking In Pavements and Bridges AB - Concrete is one of the most commonly used construction materials for building nation's infrastructure such as roadways, bridges, tunnels, and buildings, with a per-capita consumption of more than two tons. The most energy consuming and expensive component of concrete is Portland cement, which accounts for more than 70% of the raw material cost towards producing concrete. One metric ton of Portland cement production consumes about 5,792,000 BTU of energy. In addition to the cost and vast energy consumption, cement manufacturing processes releases significant amount of into CO&#8322; the atmosphere. The chemical reactions of raw materials during pyro-processing produce about 0.54 tons of CO&#8322; for every ton of cement manufactured. Another 0.43 tons of per CO&#8322; ton of cement is released from the fuel used for burning the raw materials. Thus it is not surprising that cement manufacturing process accounts for 4-5% of global CO&#8322; emission and it touches on wide range of sustainability issues including climate change, pollution, solid waste land filling and resources depletion. A solution to address these environmental and energy challenges is to develop a sustainable alternative binding material that can replace the whole or at least part of the cement used in concrete. Significant effort has been invested in developing alternative binding materials by activating commonly available industrial by-products, such as Fly ash (FA) and Granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS) using alkalis. The resulting concrete is called as alkali activated concrete (AAC) (also known as cement free /Geopolymer concrete). KW - Alkali aggregate reactions KW - Climate change KW - Concrete KW - Cracking KW - Energy consumption KW - Pollutants KW - Raw materials KW - Shrinkage KW - Sustainable development UR - http://www.utrc2.org/research/projects/reducing-cracking-pavements-and-bridges UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1315334 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01543595 TI - Compilation of Existing State Truck Size and Weight Limit Laws AB - As a requirement of Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21) (PL 112-141) §32802, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is required to develop a report for each state that "describes the route, size and weight limitation, allowable combination, and state law that allows a vehicle to operate in excess of the federal truck size and weight limits on the National Highway System." This project will conduct a verification of regulatory interpretation and applicability. KW - Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act KW - Routes KW - State laws KW - Tractor trailer combinations KW - Trucks KW - U.S. Federal Highway Administration KW - Weight UR - http://www.wistrans.org/cfire/research/projects/09-03/ UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1331548 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01522234 AU - Hansen, Andrew J AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Aviation Administration TI - Global Positioning System (GPS) Civil Signal Monitoring (CSM) Trade Study Report PY - 2014/03/07 SP - 42p AB - This Global Positioning System (GPS) Civil Signal Monitoring (CSM) Trade Study has been performed at the direction of Department of Transportation/Federal Aviation Administration (DOT/FAA) Navigation Programs as the agency of reference for consolidating civil monitoring requirements on GPS. The objective of this trade study is to develop recommendations to DOT leadership on viable paths for achieving the requisite monitoring of GPS broadcast signals used by civil agencies. Civil unique GPS signal monitoring needs have been consolidated into the GPS Civil Monitoring Performance Specification (CMPS). The trade study activity examined alternatives including use of the Next Generation Operational Control System (OCX) segment as well as Non-OCX elements for implementing civil signal monitoring, completed a comparative evaluation of the OCX/Non-OCX/hybrid alternatives available, and documented assumptions and risks associated with the trades. KW - Alternatives analysis KW - Global Positioning System KW - Monitoring KW - Next Generation Air Transportation System KW - Performance measurement KW - Signals UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/51000/51500/51506/CSM_Trade_Study.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1306564 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01522227 AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Federal Highway Administration TI - Federal Highway Administration Health in Transportation Working Group: 2013 Annual Report PY - 2014/03/07/Final Report SP - 10p AB - In 2012, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) established the Health in Transportation Working Group to examine the agency’s existing 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. After the first year, FHWA produced an internal report that summarized the accomplishments to date, identified related research and outreach activities, and provided direction for future Working Group products. This report provides an overview of the Working Group’s activities and accomplishments in 2013, summarizes other United States Department of Transportation (DOT) health-related accomplishments, documents its progress toward the recommendations laid out in the 2012 Annual Report, and offers findings and recommendations based on themes that the Working Group discussed in 2013. It is intended for a general audience. KW - Air quality 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/2013_annual_report/annual_rpt.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/51000/51600/51604/annual_rpt.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1304832 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01529464 AU - McCoy, Kevin AU - Deaderick, Lauren AU - Linthicum, Alex AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - National Park Service TI - CMAQ and NPS: Exploring the Applicability of the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program to NPS Transit PY - 2014/03/06/Final Report SP - 26p AB - The Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement (CMAQ) Program is a funding program that was most recently re-authorized in Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century. CMAQ offers a potential funding opportunity for National Park Service (NPS) park units with existing transit systems or those thinking about implementing one. With recent changes in funding for NPS transit systems, it is important for park units to look toward alternative funding sources. CMAQ's goals of air quality improvement and congestion mitigation align well with NPS environmental and visitor experience goals. To apply for CMAQ, building local partnerships and engaging in the local planning process are important actions for NPS park units to undertake. KW - Congestion management systems KW - Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program KW - Financing KW - National parks KW - Public transit UR - http://www.nps.gov/transportation/pdfs/CMAQ_WhitePaper.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/51000/51500/51505/CMAQ_NPS_WhitePaper.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1311867 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01518812 AU - Wagner, Timothy R AU - Zeller, Matthias AU - Li, Dingqiang AU - Peters, Klaus-Markus (Mark) AU - Hetzel, Brian P AU - Youngstown State University Center for Transportation and Materials Engineering AU - Fireline TCON, Incorporated AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Novel Ceramic-Metallic Composites for Light Weight Vehicle Braking Systems PY - 2014/03/06/Final Report SP - 9p AB - This project centered on a close interaction between the TCON Division of Fireline, Incorporated and various individuals affiliated with the College of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) at Youngstown State University (YSU). Fireline, a local company within 10 minutes walking distance from the YSU campus core, has developed a unique process that utilizes displacement reactions to transform ceramic preforms into ceramic-metallic co-continuous interpenetrating phase composites with enhanced properties while retaining the original shape and dimensions of the preform. Through initial development efforts, it was discovered that TCON® composite materials have extraordinary macro-, micro-, and nanoscale features that lead to their exceptional properties ideal for applications that require cost effective, lightweight materials. The unique properties of TCON composites in general are derived from the fine interlocking of ceramic and metallic phases throughout the composite microstructure. The ceramic phase provides high stiffness, low density and high strength to the composite, while the continuous network of reinforced metal gives high thermal & electrical conductivity, and high fracture toughness to the material. Such properties make these materials excellent candidates for replacing traditional materials in a number of applications, such as high wear/corrosion resistant refractory shapes for molten metal transport and/or containment in industrial processes (the major area in which Fireline currently commercializes some of its TCON products), or for new applications, including light weight, high strength components for vehicle braking systems. This project focused on the synthesis of specific ceramic precursors and investigations of their subsequent transformation via reactive metal displacement to produce novel ceramic-metallic interpenetrating phase composites (IPCs) for potential use in light weight braking systems in vehicles. KW - Brake components KW - Brakes KW - Cermets KW - Composite materials KW - Synthesis (Chemistry) UR - http://web.ysu.edu/gen/stem_generated_bin/documents/basic_module/CTME_Adv_Composites_FINAL_REPORT_Mar2014_Submitted.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1301243 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01571704 TI - Investigating Temporal Effects on Truck Accident Occurrence and Severity Level in New York City AB - As one of the major causes of fatalities and injuries in the U.S., motor vehicle crashes and their influential factors have been analyzed extensively in the last few decades. However, most existing studies on crashes primarily focus on passenger vehicles and highway segments. The studies on truck related safety issues in metropolitan areas are largely underexplored. Meanwhile, as part of the effort to relieve congestion in New York City, an Off-Hour Delivery program (OHD) is being implemented. The purpose of the program is to shift the delivery time of commercial vehicles to the off-hours (7:00 PM-6:00 AM). Intuitively, by shifting truck volume into night hours, the conflicts between trucks, pedestrians, bicycles and other vehicles are reduced, which is expected to improve the safety situation. However, there is also concern that lighting condition and driver fatigue during night hours could worsen the situation. In response to these concerns, this study will examine whether shifting truck deliveries to night hours has an impact on crash occurrence and severity level of crashes based on observed data over the last several years in the New York City. In pursuit of this goal, this study will achieve the following objectives: (1) Compile and process empirical datasets from multiple sources to develop a comprehensive truck accident dataset. The dataset should contain most variables that are likely to contribute to the "temporal effect", such as lighting condition, driver fatigue, and traffic volumes of all road users; (2) Develop rigorous statistical models that can jointly analyze crash occurrence and severity, quantifying influence of temporal effect and other potentially influential factors; and (3) Based on the findings, assess the impacts of the OHD program on the safety condition in New York City, and propose strategies to maximize its positive influence while mitigating the negative influence. This research is highly relevant to the region and the nation. The data, the model and the insights to be gained from the research will contribute to the understanding of how Off-Hour Delivery may influence the truck related safety condition. This will help transportation agencies develop more efficient strategies to manage truck traffic. By doing so, this study will benefit Focus Area 3: "Promoting freight productivity, efficiency, and sustainability through multi-modal policy, planning, and logistics." It will also contribute to the Focus Area 5: "Planning, monitoring, and implementation of communications and other technologies to understand and improve multi-modal transportation safety." KW - Commercial vehicles KW - Crash severity KW - Delivery service KW - Fatigue (Physiological condition) KW - New York (New York) KW - Off peak periods KW - Traffic volume KW - Truck crashes KW - Truck traffic UR - http://www.utrc2.org/research/projects/truck-accidents-occurrence-and-severity-level-nyc UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1363282 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01569598 TI - The Economy of Preventive Maintenance of Concrete Bridges AB - A cost-effective bridge is a bridge whose maintenance is based on its chemical condition over it's entire service life. If deterioration mechanisms are prevented, a bridge would cost considerably less to maintain and safely serves its full design service life, if not longer. The current practice for physical evaluation and delayed maintenance of deteriorated concrete bridges is fundamentally wrong. The current inspection manuals are primarily focused on detecting physical damage in concrete bridge elements. If no physical damage is detected, very minimal maintenance actions are taken. This is the main reason why the number of United States (US) bridges that are classified structurally deficient is on the rise. Given the need for future expansion of the US transportation network and increase in number of new bridges, there is a need for cost-effective maintenance process that prevents deterioration mechanism from starting, or at least stops it at a very early stage. KW - Concrete bridges KW - Cost effectiveness KW - Deterioration KW - Preventive maintenance KW - Service life KW - Structural health monitoring KW - United States UR - http://www.utrc2.org/research/projects/preventive-maintenance-concrete-bridges UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1361243 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01569301 TI - Suburban Poverty, Public Transit, Economic Opportunities and Social Mobility 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. Insufficient transit can also exacerbate recovery times after extreme weather events for vulnerable populations. The research has two main goals. The first goal is to identify a number of metropolitan areas in University Transportation Research Center (UTRC) Region II where demographic trends of increasing suburbanization of the poor are taking place and to use them to assess whether current transportation supply is likely to meet the needs of these communities for transit service demand. The second goal addresses risks that vulnerable communities face during extreme weather events due to lack of access to transportation for evacuation or for emergency preparedness and the ability to regain access to jobs. The research will also identify opportunities to diversify public transit alternatives to improve access to the service and meet other public policy goals such as reducing the vulnerability of transit systems to extreme weather events and climate change. This work contributes to two UTRC Research Focus Areas: # 7: livable and sustainable communities and # 8: planning for and response to extreme events. KW - Accessibility KW - Climate change KW - Demographics KW - Extreme events KW - Jobs KW - Low income groups KW - Mobility KW - Public transit KW - Suburbs KW - Weather conditions UR - http://www.utrc2.org/research/projects/public-transit-economic-opportunities UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1360391 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01566185 TI - Effective and Equitable Supply of Gasoline to Impacted Areas in the Aftermath of a Natural Disaster AB - In the past few years there have been an increasing number of high-impact events that involved both a natural disaster and man-made hazardous materials; the project will call these events "nahaz" events. The purpose of this project is to develop models and algorithms for safe transportation and equitable supply of commodities like gasoline in the aftermath of a disaster, and to provide insights on disaster recovery planning in the face of disruptions. With the continuously rising population and our reliance on hazardous material (hazmat) goods like gasoline, the probability of these "nahaz" events and their prospective consequences are growing. Problems associated with "nahaz" events have two dimensions: (a) Impact of Hazmat Accidents - First, after a natural disaster, with damaged infrastructure, the probability of hazmat spill increases significantly, hence hazmat transport can potentially lead to a catastrophic environmental disaster; (b) Disruption in Hazmat Supply - Second, limited, inappropriate and inequitable supply of hazmat commodities in the aftermath of a natural disaster can delay the recovery considerably. Due to these potentially devastating impacts, there is an increasing need for research on this topic. This research specifically aims to innovate logistical techniques employed to alleviate the potential impacts of these "nahaz" events. KW - Crashes KW - Disasters KW - Environmental impacts KW - Gasoline KW - Hazardous materials KW - Logistics KW - Service disruption KW - Supply UR - http://www.utrc2.org/research/projects/effective-and-equitable-supply-gasoline UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1357356 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01565933 TI - Characterization and Modeling of Photon Absorption in Asphalt Materials for Improved Accuracy and Consistency of Nuclear Density Measurement AB - Although the nuclear method has been widely used in the compaction measurement of both soils and asphalt pavements, its accuracy for asphalt pavements is not as good as that for soils. Due to this issue, many disputes have incurred in construction projects, which resulted in replacement of the nuclear test method with the core sample method in many state departments of transportation (DOTs) for quality assurance or acceptance including the Region II states, although most contractors still use it on quality control as a fast and economic test method. The previous investigation disclosed that the above disputes can mainly attribute to the effect of asphalt's chemical constitution on the nuclear gauge count readings. There are three basic types of photon interaction with matter, i.e., the Compton, photoelectric, and pair production effects. The first two effects are dominant in the existing nuclear test methods. Attenuation from the Compton effect is proportional to physical density; however attenuation from the photoelectric effect depends on atomic number or composition. Therefore, to accurately measure material density, the relative composition effect needs to be corrected. In other words, the Compton and photoelectric effects need to be decoupled. The goal of this project is to improve the accuracy and consistency of the nuclear test methods in asphalt pavement construction. To this end, we will first investigate the energy absorption difference between asphalt and aggregate materials. Experiments will be conducted to test the energy absorption rates of asphalt binders, mixtures, and soil materials using different nuclear sources. The nuclear gauge count reading changing with asphalt material density and microstructure will be characterized and modeled. The correlation between actual block densities and nuclear gauge count readings will be analyzed and understood, and photon absorption will be simulated through particle transmission analysis, and an appropriate calibration equation will be developed. KW - Asphalt pavements KW - Compaction KW - Cores (Specimens) KW - Energy absorption KW - Nuclear density gages KW - Photons KW - Soil mechanics UR - http://www.utrc2.org/research/projects/characterization-and-modeling-photon-absorption-asphalt-materials-improved UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1356625 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01564696 TI - Techniques for Information Extractions from Compressed GPS Traces AB - Nowadays, Global Positioning System (GPS) devices are routinely installed in motorized vehicles. These devices generate huge volumes of trace (or trajectory) data, with each trace giving the position (latitude and longitude) of a vehicle over time. GPS traces contain information that is valuable to many stakeholders such as transportation planners, policy analysts and business organizations (e.g. trucking industry and taxi companies). Such traces are often compressed to eliminate redundancy and reduce the amount of storage space. When additional data about vehicles (e.g. freight information and readings from on-board sensors for trucks, fare and occupancy information for taxicabs) is available, the combination of compressed trace data and vehicular data serves as a richer source of information that is useful in multiple application scenarios. The proposed research investigates methods to effectively extract information from large volumes of compressed GPS traces and other vehicular data. The specific tasks which will be carried out during this work are as follows: Task 1: Develop efficient techniques for retrieving from a database of compressed traces, a collection of traces that are similar to a given query trace. Such techniques should also have the capability to classify the retrieved collection of traces according to specified criteria. Task 2: Extend compression techniques for GPS traces so that traces that include other vehicular or sensor data (along with latitude, longitude and time) can also be effectively compressed. As in Task 1, such extensions should allow efficient retrievals of collections of traces that are similar to a given query trace. The proposed work falls under Focus Area 4 ("System modernization through implementation of advanced information technologies") of University Transportation Research Center (UTRC) Region 2. Potential long term benefits of the proposed research include the development of effective methods for extracting useful information from compressed representations of trajectories and other vehicular data. Such methods will be highly beneficial in processing complex queries that are of interest to transportation planners and other stakeholders. The deliverables of this project include software tools, research reports, papers in conferences/journals, a research brief suitable for distribution to policy makers and data sets generated as part of the work. These deliverables will be made available to the research community through an appropriate website. KW - Data compression KW - Global Positioning System KW - Information retrieval KW - Taxicabs KW - Trucks KW - Vehicle trajectories UR - http://www.utrc2.org/research/projects/techniques-information-extractions UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1355611 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01563669 TI - Requirements, Model and Prototype for a Multi-Utility Locational and Security Information Hub AB - Even if they are hosted in sophisticated Geographic information Systems (GIS) systems, the asset management systems maintained by various utilities are often plagued by information incompleteness and inaccuracy. The locational information is often based on approximate design data that differ from actual "as-built" drawings that may not be even be held by such utilities owning and maintaining underground lifeline infrastructure systems (water, wastewater, electric/power, gas, stormwater, and communications networks). This project lays the foundation for building and 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 to support tool to help streamline, improve and guide 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. KW - Asset management KW - Data collection KW - Decision support systems KW - Excavation KW - Information management KW - Risk assessment KW - Underground utility lines UR - http://www.utrc2.org/research/projects/multi-utility-locational-and-security-information UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1354415 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01557846 TI - Smarter Multi-modal Traffic Signal Control with Both Floating Sensor Network and Fixed Sensor Network AB - The objective of this project is to develop a comprehensive framework with a set of models to improve multi-modal traffic signal control, by incorporating advanced floating sensor data (e.g. GPS data, etc.) and traditional fixed sensor data (e.g. loop detectors, etc.). Especially, the project is interested in addressing the challenges of multi-modal signal control under non-recurrent conditions, such as traffic incidents and planned special events, since non-recurrent congestions usually account for more than 50% of the total congestions. In order to accomplish this goal, an 18-month project is defined in this proposal with a multidisciplinary team assembled with two principal investigators (PIs) from transportation engineering and computer science, respectively. First, the project will conduct a comprehensive interview with transportation professionals, who can bring up existing state-of-practice, open issues and future challenges in multi-modal traffic signal control. The results of this interview will be compared with the recent complete interview with police officers, who have real-world traffic control experiences under non-recurrent events (N. Ding, He, and Wu 2014). Second, a two-component traffic data analysis will be performed on a variety of multi-modal data sources, including passenger cars, transit buses, light rail and emergency vehicles as well as commercial trucks, bicycles, and pedestrians. One component is to fuse multi-source and multi-modal data sets and predict the traffic state in near future. The other one is to identify the anomaly condition in traffic network, caused by traffic incidents (e.g., collisions, disabled cars, hazard materials, etc.) or special events (e.g., football game, parade, marathon, etc.). Third, multi-modal signal control algorithms will be developed to leverage the results derived from traffic data analysis, under both recurrent and non-recurrent congestion conditions. Finally, the proposed framework will be evaluated by microscopic simulation VISSIM and externally developed signal control modules. With consideration of advanced multi-modal and multi-source data, this research closely aligns with University Transportation Research Center's (UTRC's) Focus Area #4: System modernization through implementation of advanced and information technologies as described in the Request for Proposal (RFP). Through alleviating traffic congestion and improving safety of the highway system, this work will also contribute to UTRC consortium's themes in Economic Competitiveness and Livable Communities. The project team will work closely with Niagara International Transportation Technology Coalition (NITTEC), the City of Buffalo, and New York City on how the proposed algorithms and models could help in the development of a multi-modal traffic management and operations Decision Support System (DSS). The results will be disseminated to transportation authorities through webinars or workshops for workforce training. KW - Global Positioning System KW - Loop detectors KW - Special events KW - Traffic congestion KW - Traffic data KW - Traffic incidents KW - Traffic signal control systems KW - Vehicle detectors KW - VISSIM (Computer model) UR - http://www.utrc2.org/research/projects/multi-modal-traffic-signal-control UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1347294 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01557061 TI - Development of a New Connected Eco-Driving Technology at Signalized Intersections with Adaptive Signal AB - The advances of wireless communication and information technology have enabled the technological foundation and provided an unprecedented data-rich environment known as "big data". One emerging transformative technological initiative is Connected Vehicle, which aims to enable networked wireless communications among vehicles, infrastructure and passengers' personal devices. The proposed research aims to develop a new connected vehicle technology that enables eco-driving of vehicles at signalized intersections where adaptive control is instrumented. The work capitalizes on the emerging advanced technologies including Connected Vehicle, Adaptive Traffic Signal Control, and Big Data Analytics. The outcome includes smoother vehicle movement trajectories, reduced fuel consumption and green-house gas emissions, hence system-wide better mobility, efficiency and environmental benefits. The proposed work is extremely timely and significantly different from other on-going connected vehicle research, in that it aims to integrate the developed technology with New York City's real-time adaptive control system, applying big-data analytics on the already available big traffic data. Mostly notably, New York City's big traffic data environment include millions of records of per-trip travel times from 8 million daily commuters, volumes and occupancies from a wireless sensor network, and detailed historical and real-time controller status data for more than 10,000 ASTC controllers. One of the team members, namely, KLD is the developer of New York City's adaptive control system. This enables the proposed work as an innovative solution providing practical and workable contributions to New York's transportation community. The proposed research involves developing the following methodologies and evaluating them using microscopic traffic simulation: * Data fusion of real-time large-scale multi-source traffic, vehicle and environmental data. The data includes traffic conditions, network-wide signal operational status, real-time adaptive signal timing information, registered Transit Priority Preemption Request, vehicle dynamics and engine economy data. The sources of the data include ITS roadway sensors, Electronic Toll Collection (ETC) tag readers, connected vehicle equipment's and central adaptive signal control systems at Traffic Management Center. * Big Data Analytics to synthetize the data and evaluate traffic and environmental parameters and develop operational strategies for individual vehicles at signalized intersections, focusing on smoother vehicle trajectories, and reducing real-time fuel consumption and emissions. * Connected Eco-Driving. By virtue of V2I and V2V, real-time adaptive signal timing data (and relevant transit signal priority request, if any) from the central TMC are synthesized with vehicles mechanical dynamics and engine-economy status. These data are analyzed to generate customized driving advice to drivers so that they can adjust their driving behavior for a smoother movement trajectory, save fuel and reduce emissions, while clearing the intersection safely and efficiently. * Test the methodologies through rigorous microscopic traffic simulation, explore the feasibility of a commercializable system prototype, and outline steps to the implementation of such a prototype. KW - Automated toll collection KW - Information technology KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Mobile communication systems KW - New York (New York) KW - Real time information KW - Signalized intersections KW - Traffic control centers KW - Traffic signal controllers KW - Vehicle to infrastructure communications KW - Vehicle to vehicle communications KW - Wireless communication systems UR - http://www.utrc2.org/research/projects/development-new-eco-driving-technology UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1346331 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01537279 TI - The North Dakota Oil Boom's Impact on Livability in Western North Dakota AB - The western half of North Dakota has experienced tremendous growth in recent years due to increased oil exploration and drilling. Along with this has come transportation and housing issues that affect everyone involved. The Highway 2 corridor in northwest North Dakota has seen a dramatic increase in traffic volumes while local airports have seen a substantial increase in passenger boardings leading to greater demand for additional flights. Also, increases in housing and apartment rental costs have forced some to relocate to other communities. These issues highlight a number of livability related topics such as affordable housing, transportation mode choice, and the sustainability of existing communities among others. A study will be conducted in northwest North Dakota to analyze these topics with a focus on travel mode choice and housing affordability. Special consideration will be given to seniors and disadvantaged populations who rely largely on fixed incomes. Analysis will include the impact of increased travel and housing costs on individuals who have lived in the area for long periods of time and are now forced to make possible relocation decisions. The effect on public transit will also be studied to gain a better understanding as to how the oil boom has impacted local transit services. Analysis will also explore changes to various modes of transportation in northwestern North Dakota while focusing on intermodal solutions for individual travel. KW - Aged KW - Housing KW - Mode choice KW - North Dakota KW - Oil well drilling KW - Persons with disabilities KW - Public transit KW - Sustainable development KW - Traffic volume UR - http://www.westerntransportationinstitute.org/centers/small-urban-and-rural-livability-center/default.aspx UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1322855 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01530317 TI - Phase 1: Evaluation of Real World Toll Plazas Using Driving Simulators AB - This research project is the Initial Collaborative Project for the University of Central Florida, University of Massachusetts - Amherst (UMass) and University of Puerto Rico as proposed to the United States 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. KW - Automated toll collection KW - Driver confusion KW - Drivers KW - High occupancy toll lanes KW - Highway operations KW - Managed lanes KW - Toll facilities KW - Toll plazas KW - Traffic safety UR - http://safersim.nads-sc.uiowa.edu/final_reports/UCF-3-Y1_FinalReport.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1315836 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01522147 TI - Evaluating the Role of Private Investment in Life Cycle Management of New York State's Infrastructure Assets AB - The forthcoming New York State legislation about implementation of public private partnership (P3) projects requires a more in-depth analysis of the appropriate framework to evaluate P3 projects and the P3 practices most suitable for the state. Private participation can help improve the resiliency and sustainability of infrastructure. However, P3s raise a set of new and important challenges for public sector sponsors, who must ensure that private participation will protect the public interest. To address this concern, the project will create a new framework to help major P3 project(s) stakeholders estimate the social welfare change of implementing P3s. The impact of a P3 project on overall social welfare provides a more comprehensive evaluation criterion than the widely-used used value for money analysis. The major goal of the project is to provide a detailed policy guideline for the design of New York State legislation that will fit the state's potential and will outline the best practices for the state's use of P3s. The integrated examination of P3 agreement types proposed by this project is critically important when considering both the fiscal pressure faced by municipalities and the need to fundamentally alter current transportation patterns to mitigate and adapt to climate change and to address regional natural disaster risks. Project outputs include: (i) a framework for evaluating P3 projects, appropriate criteria for appraising these projects, and relevant targets and measures of sustainability; (ii) a set of appropriate P3 projects and models informing New York State's public authorities about kinds of roads, business models, and ownership structures, if any, that are most appropriate for private participation; and (iii) policy guidelines about the best P3 practices for the state. A key research deliverable will be a method for determining infrastructure projects that are both socially beneficial and those that are feasible and profitable for procurement through a P3. Although the P3 approach is not new to transportation project provision, the proposed comprehensive modeling is unprecedented. KW - Best practices KW - Capital investments KW - Guidelines KW - Life cycle analysis KW - New York (State) KW - Policy analysis KW - Public private partnerships KW - Sustainable development UR - http://www.utrc2.org/research/projects/evaluating-life-cycle-management-new-york UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1306893 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01521838 TI - Freight Costs at the Curbside AB - In New York City (NYC), drivers face extreme parking challenges while performing urban deliveries at the curbside. In some areas of the city, freight demand for curb space exceeds the available supply. In recent years, already lacking curb space has become even more scarce with increasing allocation of space to non-motorized modes. Often curb regulation and space allocation decisions are made with limited regard for the freight-related activities needed to support local businesses and residences. The aim of this project is to clearly identify the curb accessibility needs and specific challenges for urban freight delivery in New York City; to identify advanced curb management approaches from international best practices appropriate for implementation; and to evaluate the effectiveness of improved curb management strategies to reduce unnecessary costs for deliveries in NYC. Specifically, the objectives of this project are to: 1) Characterize existing conditions for urban freight delivery in NYC through direct outreach to stakeholders and analysis of existing datasets; 2) Identify state-of-the-art curb management strategies appropriate for implementation in NYC conditions; 3) Understand driver decision making under current and proposed future curb management conditions; 4) Develop a transferable modeling approach integrating freight trip generation and choice modeling approaches to estimate area-wide impacts of advanced curb management; and 5) Develop policy recommendations to improve curb management for freight deliveries in New York City. These objectives will be achieved through completion of eight primary project tasks: 1) Comprehensive review of literature regarding urban delivery costs and advanced curb management approaches; 2) Stakeholder outreach, through formation of a Technical Advisory Board and additional outreach to local stakeholders; 3) Identification and evaluation of a case study area through evaluation of a number of existing traffic and parking datasets and through implementation of a freight trip generation model; 4) Evaluation of potential curb management strategies for implementation in case study area; 5) Development and implementation of a stated-preference survey; 6) Development of a parking choice model; 7) Comparison of existing parking conditions and conditions expected under an advanced curb management strategy; and 8) Production of a final report detailing study results. This study will be conducted by researchers at the City College of New York (PI Alison Conway) and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (Co-PIs Cara Wang and Miguel Jaller), with support from the New York City Department of Transportation's Office of Freight Mobility, and an industry Technical Advisory Board chaired by NYCDOT's Stacey Hodge. KW - Accessibility KW - Curb side parking KW - Delivery service KW - Freight traffic KW - Highway traffic control KW - New York (New York) KW - Parking regulations UR - http://www.utrc2.org/research/projects/freight-costs-curbside UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1305390 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01517355 TI - Modeling Emissions and Environmental Impacts of Transportation Activities Associated with High Volume Horizontal Hydraulic Fracturing Operations in the Marcellus Shale Formation AB - This project models emission dispersions from the most heavily impacted transportation network segments (primarily roads) identified by the current University Transportation Research Center (UTRC) project. The current research models environmental and transport impacts of material and waste movements related to hydraulic fracturing activities in the Marcellus Shale Formation. Both projects use ArcGIS Network Analyst and the GIFT Model (Geospatial Intermodal Freight Transport) to (1) simulate transportation routes used to deliver equipment and materials to well sites and the removal of drilling waste from wells to waste facilities and (2) estimate emissions generated by transportation activities. The current research identifies high volume transport network segments and calculates emission totals. The current project will be expanded in the proposed research by using one or more pollution emissions and dispersion models (MOVES, AERMOD, CALPUFF, Cal-Roads, and/or ALOHA) to evaluate potential health impacts along high volume segments. The dispersion models will help identify areas where concentrated diesel emissions generated by transportation activities supporting natural gas development may be impacting human health. The goal is to evaluate the potential impact and to evaluate multimodal and transport technology modifications through the use of the computer models to help minimize these impacts. Results from these models can be integrated into the Geographic Information System (GIS) database to illustrate the extent of the local pollution problems (these models produce GIS ready output) and can link the model results to population layers, such as parcels and census blocks. Based on the dispersion model results, the project can modify GIFT parameters to evaluate the impact of (1) technological controls (engine filters); (2) alternative fuels (CNG and LNG); (3) locating intermodal transfer facilities and/or material depots outside of populated areas; and (4) minimizing material and waste transport by on-site recycling of waste waters at the well pads. This project will promote goals of two UTRC Research Focus Areas - Focus Area 3: Promoting freight productivity, efficiency, and sustainability through multimodal policy, planning, and logistics and Focus Area 7: Promoting livable and sustainable communities through quality of life improvements and diverse transportation development KW - Alternate fuels KW - Environmental impacts KW - Hydraulic fracturing KW - Marcellus Shale KW - Multimodal transportation KW - Pollutants KW - Wastes UR - http://www.utrc2.org/research/projects/horizontal-hydraulic-fracturing UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1301248 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01620260 AU - Rapoza, Amanda S AU - Lewis, Kristin C AU - Sudderth, Erika A AU - Lee, Cynthia S Y AU - Hassol, Joshua AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Aviation Administration AU - National Park Service TI - Human Response to Aviation Noise: Development of Dose-Response Relationships for Backcountry Visitors - Volume I: Study Methods PY - 2014/03//Final Report SP - 125p AB - The Federal Aviation Administration and National Park Service conducted joint research to better understand the effects of noise due to commercial air tour operations over units of the National Park System. To evaluate the relationship between aircraft noise exposure and the quality of National Park visitor experience, research was conducted at backcountry sites providing day- and overnight-hiking and camping opportunities. This research expands upon work performed during the 1990’s at frontcountry sites. Over 4600 visitor surveys and fifty days of acoustical measurements were collected and analyzed to develop dose-response relationships for backcountry visitors. This report, the first of two volumes, describes the study methods, visitor surveys, research locations and data collected. Volume two describes the model-fitting approach used to identify the noise exposure metrics and mediator variables that best predict visitor responses to aircraft noise. The models developed can be used as a tool to evaluate potential effects of air tours on visitors to National Parks. KW - Air tours KW - Aircraft noise KW - Dose-response studies KW - National parks KW - Noise measurement KW - Surveys KW - Tourists KW - Visitors UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/60000/60500/60533/Development_of_Dose-Response_Relationships_Backcountry_Vol1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1440558 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01620259 AU - Rapoza, Amanda S AU - Lewis, Kristin C AU - Sudderth, Erika A AU - Lee, Cynthia S Y AU - Hassol, Joshua AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - Federal Aviation Administration AU - National Park Service TI - Human Response to Aviation Noise: Development of Dose-Response Relationships for Backcountry Visitors - Volume II: Results and Analyses PY - 2014/03//Final Report SP - 159p AB - The Federal Aviation Administration and National Park Service conducted joint research to better understand the effects of noise due to commercial air tour operations over units of the National Park System. To evaluate the relationship between aircraft noise exposure and the quality of National Park visitor experience, research was conducted at backcountry sites providing day- and overnight-hiking and camping opportunities. Over 4600 visitor surveys and fifty days of acoustical measurements were collected and analyzed to develop dose-response relationships for backcountry visitors. This report, the second of two volumes, describes the model-fitting approach used to identify the noise exposure metrics and mediator variables that best predict visitor responses to aircraft noise. The dose variables identified include sound exposure level, percent time audible, and energy percentages due to helicopters and fixed-wing propeller aircraft. Mediator variables identified include visitor ratings of the ‘importance of calmness, peace and tranquility’, attributes of adults-only in group, first visit to the site, having taken an air tour, and participation in activities of watching birds and listening to an interpretive talk. The models developed can be used as a tool for evaluating potential effects of air tours on visitors to National Parks. KW - Air tours KW - Aircraft noise KW - Dose-response studies KW - National parks KW - Noise measurement KW - Surveys KW - Tourists KW - Visitors UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/60000/60500/60534/Development_of_Dose-Response_Relationships_Backcountry_Vol2.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1440556 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01559956 AU - Rapoza, Amanda AU - Lee, Cynthia AU - MacDonald, John AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - National Park Service TI - Kings Mountain National Military Park: Acoustical Monitoring 2012 PY - 2014/03//Final Report SP - 58p AB - During the winter of 2012 (November-December) baseline acoustical data were collected at Kings Mountain National Military Park (KIMO)at two sites deployed for approximately 30 days each. The baseline data collected during these periods will help park managers and planners estimate the effects of future noise impacts and will help to inform future park planning objectives such as creating acoustic resource management plans, as well as the development of an Air Tour Management Plan (ATMP), which provides for the regulation of commercial air tours. The sound sources of concern at KIMO include developments near park boundaries, air tours, commercial and private aircraft activities, and requests for special use permits for noisy activities. This document summarizes the results of the noise measurement study. KW - Aircraft noise KW - Ambient noise KW - Environmental monitoring KW - Environmental quality KW - Kings Mountain National Military Park KW - National parks KW - National Parks Air Tour Management Act, 2000 KW - Noise KW - Noise sources KW - Sound level UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/54000/54700/54739/KingsMountain.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1348692 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01559954 AU - Rapoza, Amanda AU - Lee, Cynthia AU - MacDonald, John AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - National Park Service TI - Wright Brothers National Memorial : Acoustical Monitoring 2011 PY - 2014/03//Final Report SP - 56p AB - During the winter of 2011(September - November) baseline acoustical data were collected at Wright Brothers National Memorial (WRBR) at two sites deployed for approximately 30 days each. The baseline data collected during these periods will help park managers and planners estimate the effects of future noise impacts and will help to inform future park planning objectives such as creating acoustic resource management plans, as well as the development of an Air Tour Management Plan (ATMP), which provides for the regulation of commercial air tours. The sound sources of concern at WRBR include developments near park boundaries, air tours, commercial and private aircraft activities, and requests for special use permits for noisy activities. This document summarizes the results of the noise measurement study. KW - Aircraft noise KW - Ambient noise KW - Environmental monitoring KW - Environmental quality KW - National parks KW - National Parks Air Tour Management Act, 2000 KW - Noise KW - Noise sources KW - Sound level KW - Wright Brothers National Memorial UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/54000/54700/54740/WrightBros.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1348769 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01559943 AU - Rapoza, Amanda AU - Lee, Cynthia AU - MacDonald, John AU - Volpe National Transportation Systems Center AU - National Park Service TI - Cape Hatteras National Seashore: Acoustical Monitoring 2008 and 2011 PY - 2014/03//Final Report SP - 72p AB - During the summer of 2008 (May) and winter of 2011 (September-November) baseline acoustical data were collected at Cape Hatteras National Seashore at three sites deployed for approximately 30 days each. The baseline data collected during these periods will help park managers and planners estimate the effects of future noise impacts and will help to inform future park planning objectives such as creating soundscape management plans, as well as the development of an Air Tour Management Plan (ATMP), which provides for the regulation of commercial air tours. The sound sources of concern at Cape Hatteras include developments near park boundaries, air tours, commercial and private aircraft activities, and requests for special use permits for noisy activities. This document summarizes the results of the noise measurement study. KW - Aircraft noise KW - Ambient noise KW - Cape Hatteras National Seashore KW - Environmental monitoring KW - Environmental quality KW - National parks KW - National Parks Air Tour Management Act, 2000 KW - Noise KW - Noise sources KW - Sound level UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/54000/54700/54738/CapeHatteras.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1348678 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01544693 AU - Naik, Bhaven AU - Appiah, Justice AU - University of Nebraska, Lincoln AU - Mid-America Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Dilemma Zone Protection on High-Speed Arterials PY - 2014/03//Final Report SP - 80p AB - Driver behavior within the dilemma zone can be a major safety concern at high-speed signalized intersections, especially for heavy trucks. The Nebraska Department of Roads (NDOR) has developed and implemented an Actuated Advance Warning (AAW) dilemma zone protection system. The AAW system has been documented as being effective at improving traffic safety at isolated signalized. However, the system is yet to be used at signalized intersections operating in the coordinated mode. This study tested the feasibility of deploying the system on arterials where the signals are closely spaced and operate in a coordinated mode. A microsimulation approach – integration of traffic microsimulation and surrogate safety performance measures was developed to test the potential benefits (safety and operational) in-lieu of observed traffic and crash data. The analysis on conflicts indicated that, on average, there were 30%, 7% and 30% reductions in the number of rear-end, lane change and crossing conflicts when the AAW system was used. In terms of the relative productivity of the system – the number of vehicles that were processed during a specified analysis period revealed that there were generally more vehicles processed when the AAW system was not in place. Also, the overall link travel times were slightly higher when the system was in place. It should be noted that this research established a starting point for NDOR to make more informed decisions about where to deploy AAW devices however, a field evaluation involving real data is recommended. KW - Arterial highways KW - Dilemma zone KW - Feasibility analysis KW - Microsimulation KW - Nebraska KW - Performance measurement KW - Signalized intersections KW - Traffic conflicts KW - Traffic safety KW - Travel time KW - Warning signs UR - http://matc.unl.edu/assets/documents/matcfinal/Appiah_DilemmaZoneProtectiononHigh-SpeedArterials.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1331083 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01544585 AU - Ratner, Albert AU - Ghamari, Mohsen AU - University of Iowa, Iowa City AU - Mid-America Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Improving Freight Fire Safety: Modifying Droplet Behavior to Minimize Ignition PY - 2014/03//Final Report SP - 30p AB - Hydrocarbon drops impacting on a flat solid surface were computationally studied to identify the key issues in the dynamics of drop spreading. The experimental data available for diesel, methanol, and glycerin were used, and a general empirical expression (in terms of the Ohnesorge number) was constructed that accurately described the spreading regime. For the simulation part, the drop spreading process was studied numerically with a volume-of-fluid (VOF) approach. Based on these investigations, a new combined static contact angle-dynamic contact angle (SCA-DCA) model was proposed and applied to compute the hydrocarbon drop spreading process. The predicted time-dependent drop shapes agree well, within 5% of both previously published results and the experimental data presented here, while previous models showed at least a 10% deviation from the experiments. This proposed model also avoids the requirement for experimental measurement with specific fluids and only requires the general fluid properties. In addition to the numerical investigations, a droplet combustion experiment was also carried out. In this experiment, the ignition and combustion of the suspended fuel droplet were recorded using a high speed camera. Image processing techniques were then utilized to measure fuel combustion characteristics such as burning rate and ignition delay. KW - Burning rate KW - Chemical spills KW - Combustion KW - Fire KW - Fuel additives KW - Hydrocarbons KW - Ignition KW - Simulation KW - Traffic crashes UR - http://matc.unl.edu/assets/documents/matcfinal/Ratner_ImprovingFreightFireSafetyModifyingDropletBehaviortoMinimizeIgnition.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1331076 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01539288 AU - Grembek, Offer AU - Medury, Aditya AU - Orrick, Phyllis AU - Leung, Katherine AU - Ragland, David R AU - Loukaitou-Sideris, Anastasia AU - Fink, Camille N Y AU - Resnick, Justin AU - Wong, Norman AU - Shafizadeh, Kevan AU - Khan, Ghazan AU - University of California, Berkeley AU - University of California, Berkeley AU - University of California, Los Angeles AU - California State University, Sacramento AU - California Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - A Comparative Analysis of Pedestrian and Bicyclist Safety Around University Campuses PY - 2014/03 SP - 180p AB - This study examines the campus cores and peripheries of the University of California, Berkeley, the University of California, Los Angeles, and California State University, Sacramento, in order to compare safety risks for pedestrians and bicyclists among the three locations. Together, they comprise a wide number of characteristics in terms of setting, size, mode share and layout. The primary goal of the study is to identify possible relationships between pedestrian and bicycle crashes and the environments where these crashes occur, in terms of urban form, traffic characteristics and more. Using approaches from public health, planning, engineering and urban design, crash data (both police-reported and self-reported) and urban form data from all three campuses were examined, and the spatial and temporal distribution of pedestrian and bicycle crashes in each campus were studied. In order to account for under-reporting of pedestrian and bicycle crashes, an online survey was developed to solicit self-reported data from campus travelers about their crash experiences and perceptions about safety. This information was subsequently analyzed to identify collision hotspots reported by travelers on the three campuses, as well as hotspots indicated by reported crash data. The hotspots were studied in detail to identify the characteristics of the built environment that contributed to the incidence of pedestrian and bicycle crashes, and to suggest areas where design changes would be most likely to improve pedestrian and bicycling safety. KW - Bicycle crashes KW - Built environment KW - California KW - Campuses KW - Crash causes KW - Cyclists KW - High risk locations KW - Pedestrian safety KW - Pedestrian-vehicle crashes KW - Risk assessment KW - Spatial analysis KW - Urban design UR - http://safetrec.berkeley.edu/sites/default/files/UCTC-FR-2014-03.pdf UR - https://merritt.cdlib.org/d/ark%3A%2F13030%2Fm5j406p5/1/producer%2F890158824.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1322051 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01536070 AU - Perkins, Robert A AU - Bennett, F Lawrence AU - Alaska University Transportation Center AU - Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Preliminary Design of a Leadership Academy for the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities, Report to Management, Reviews and Discussions PY - 2014/03//Closure Report SP - 50p AB - All organizations, including such technically‐oriented organizations as the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (AK DOT&PF), have continuing needs for training of many types. Opportunities for self‐improvement are essential for technical professionals, for management professionals and for support personnel. These improvements help make a more competent workforce that, in the case of AK DOT&PF, can more effectively serve the Alaska public with projects and services. In 2012, the AK DOT&PF and the Alaska University Transportation Center (AUTC) funded a project, Design of a Leadership Academy for the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities, Report to Management, Reviews and Discussions, INE contract 13‐019, to work with the AK DOT&PF to develop the concept for the continued development of managers into effective leaders. KW - Alaska KW - Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities KW - Leadership KW - Personnel development KW - Training UR - http://ine.uaf.edu/autc/files/2014/04/Closure-REPORT-LEADERSHIP-ACADEMY-.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1320871 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01533115 AU - Hoback, Alan AU - Mineta National Transit Research Consortium AU - Michigan Department of Transportation AU - University of Detroit Mercy AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Social Equity, Mobility, and Access PY - 2014/03 SP - xii, 82p AB - The economic and transportation systems of Detroit feature great inequity. This report discusses how transportation policies can aggravate or alleviate social equity problems. It compares Detroit’s transit systems with those in Atlanta, Cleveland, Denver, and St. Louis with respect to their strategies and relative success in remediatiating social inequity. It examines the number of employment opportunities available within transit distance and finds that Detroit Metro offers fewer opportunities than elsewhere. Transit captive riders can reach many fewer jobs (perhaps less than one-fifth as many) than a resident driving a car for one hour, and access is even worse for those living in suburbs. The report identifies improved bus service as a means of improving job equity for residents. KW - Access KW - Bus transit KW - Captive riders KW - Detroit (Michigan) KW - Economic development KW - Equity (Justice) KW - Methodology KW - Mobility KW - Socioeconomic factors KW - Transit riders UR - http://transweb.sjsu.edu/PDFs/research/1136-3-transit-equity-and-access.pdf UR - http://www.michigan.gov/documents/mdot/RC1599D_455989_7.pdf UR - https://merritt.cdlib.org/d/ark%3A%2F13030%2Fm5h14g31/1/producer%2F881692735.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1312030 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01533112 AU - Anderson, Scott AU - Mineta National Transit Research Consortium AU - San Jose State University AU - University of Detroit Mercy AU - Michigan Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Funding Structures and Competing Priorities for Regional Transit in Metro Detroit PY - 2014/03//Final Report SP - x, 28p AB - The Detroit region provides less locally raised funding for transit than other urban areas of the U.S. and Canada, resulting in a transit system that is less effective. This study examines transit financing in four comparable metropolitan regions, compares them with practices and opportunities in the Metro Detroit region, and offers recommendations for the future. Recent developments, such as M-1 Rail and the State’s enactment of laws creating a Regional Transit Authority (RTA), represent a positive trend. KW - Detroit (Michigan) KW - Economic development KW - Financing KW - Investments KW - Public transit KW - Regional transportation KW - Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) UR - http://transweb.sjsu.edu/PDFs/research/1136-5-transit-finance.pdf UR - http://www.michigan.gov/documents/mdot/RC1599F_455991_7.pdf UR - https://merritt.cdlib.org/d/ark%3A%2F13030%2Fm57h2znk/1/producer%2F881692977a.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1312032 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01533103 AU - Semple, Lloyd A AU - Mineta National Transit Research Consortium AU - San Jose State University AU - University of Detroit Mercy AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Detroit Regional Transit Legal Structures and Governance PY - 2014/03//Final Report SP - viii, 26p AB - This report provides a summary of the best governance practices used by independent transit authorities in four regions comparable to Detroit: Atlanta, Cleveland, Denver and St. Louis. It concludes that the governance provisions contained in the Regional Transit Authority of Southeast Michigan (RTA) legislation go a long way toward achieving an effective governance structure. Existing authorities or city departments operating transit systems in the region should also strive to achieve optimum governance structures. Active and engaged citizen advisory boards are a critical factor and provide valuable input regarding the quality and effectiveness of services. KW - Laws and legislation KW - Public transit KW - Southeast Michigan KW - Transit operating agencies UR - http://www.michigan.gov/documents/mdot/RC1599C_455988_7.pdf UR - https://merritt.cdlib.org/d/ark%3A%2F13030%2Fm5w680z3/1/producer%2F881692449.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1312029 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01533101 AU - Dutta, Utpal AU - Mineta National Transit Research Consortium AU - San Jose State University AU - University of Detroit Mercy AU - Michigan Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) in Metro Detroit PY - 2014/03//Final Report SP - xii, 50p AB - This research examines the transit oriented development (TOD) characteristics of four peer cities and the Metro Detroit area. It provides recommendations to help the Metro Detroit region implement successful TOD with the objective of maximizing economic growth potential while improving quality of life. Visits to Atlanta, Denver, Cleveland and St. Louis garnered firsthand knowledge of their transit systems and TOD activities. A set of measures was developed to integrate TOD into the planning and design of transportation facilities in the Detroit area. This study also identifies planning, economic, and institutional mechanisms for the effective implementation of TOD. KW - Detroit (Michigan) KW - Economic development KW - Financing KW - Light rail transit KW - Regional planning KW - Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) KW - Southeast Michigan KW - Transit oriented development KW - Transportation planning UR - http://transweb.sjsu.edu/PDFs/research/1136-4-transit-oriented-development-TOD.pdf UR - http://www.michigan.gov/documents/mdot/RC1599E_455990_7.pdf UR - https://merritt.cdlib.org/d/ark%3A%2F13030%2Fm5c83qc9/1/producer%2F881692777.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1312031 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01533083 AU - Bernasconi, Claudia AU - Di Palo, Mariarosaria AU - Bussière, Krysia AU - Mineta National Transit Research Consortium AU - San Jose State University AU - Michigan Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - The Role of Media and Public Opinion Efforts in the Transit Field: The Detroit Region Case Study PY - 2014/03//Final Report SP - xii, 90p AB - This study identifies key recommendations for building positive public opinion and acceptance of future transportation initiatives in southeast Michigan. It analyzes media efforts by selected transit agencies and advocacy groups in Atlanta, Cleveland, Denver and St. Louis, together with local print coverage, use of online media, and local transit campaigns. It develops a set of recommendations for achieving success with future initiatives, including strategies to boost citizen involvement and public approval for the Metro Detroit region. Four areas are identified as key for the success of transit initiatives and transit systems’ improvement: Education, Branding, Involvement, and Messaging. KW - Branding (Marketing) KW - Detroit (Michigan) KW - Marketing KW - Mass media KW - Public opinion KW - Public participation KW - Public relations KW - Public transit KW - Southeast Michigan UR - http://transweb.sjsu.edu/PDFs/research/1136-6-transit-media-public-opinion.pdf UR - http://www.michigan.gov/documents/mdot/RC1599G_455992_7.pdf UR - https://merritt.cdlib.org/d/ark%3A%2F13030%2Fm53r270j/1/producer%2F881693126.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1312033 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01533077 AU - Hanifin, Leo AU - Anderson, Scott AU - Bernasconi, Claudia AU - Dutta, Utpal AU - Hoback, Alan AU - Semple, Lloyd AU - Mineta National Transit Research Consortium AU - University of Detroit Mercy AU - Michigan Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Detroit Regional Transit Study: A Study of Factors that Enable and Inhibit Effective Regional Transit PY - 2014/03//Final report AB - A comprehensive study of the factors enabling or inhibiting the development of effective regional transit looked at Detroit, Atlanta, Cleveland, Denver and St. Louis. Six key variable in transit success were examined: politics and leadership; law and governance; finance and funding; transit-oriented development; equity and access; and, media and public opinion. The research methodology used firsthand narrative experience and involved 60 in-depth interviews. This document provides an overview and summaries of key findings in all six areas of focus. Six separate reports explore each area in greater depth. KW - Detroit (Michigan) KW - Equity (Justice) KW - Financing KW - Leadership KW - Methodology KW - Politics KW - Public transit KW - Regional transportation KW - Surveys KW - Transit oriented development UR - http://transweb.sjsu.edu/PDFs/research/1136-0-sustainable-regional-transit-overview.pdf UR - http://www.michigan.gov/documents/mdot/RC1599A_455986_7.pdf UR - https://merritt.cdlib.org/d/ark%3A%2F13030%2Fm5z6234x/1/producer%2F882104926.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1304837 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01533070 AU - Hanifin, Leo AU - Douglas, Scott AU - Mineta National Transit Research Consortium AU - San Jose State University AU - University of Detroit Mercy AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Regional Transit Stew: Consensus Building and Transit Building in Metro Detroit PY - 2014/03//Final Report SP - x, 38p AB - This report describes the factors that enable and inhibit the development of effective regional transit, focusing on Metro Detroit and four peer regions: Atlanta, Cleveland, Denver and St. Louis. It provides key findings related to transit leadership and politics, especially those related to the successful planning and funding of regional transit. The report presents a three-phase process beginning with sharing and recognizing all stakeholders’ perspectives on what they want and need from regional transit. In the second phase, transit professionals translate that vision into a specific transit system design and plans to develop it. In phase three, stakeholders actively advocate for the plan and its funding by emphasizing the values and impact of the system that are most important to specific segments of the population. The report discusses the need for a very diverse and active coalition and presents examples of successful coalitions in other cities. KW - Atlanta (Georgia) KW - Cleveland (Ohio) KW - Consensus KW - Denver (Colorado) KW - Detroit (Michigan) KW - Financing KW - Los Angeles (California) KW - Public transit KW - Regional planning KW - Regional transportation KW - Saint Louis (Missouri) KW - Stakeholders KW - Transit operating agencies UR - http://transweb.sjsu.edu/PDFs/research/1136-1-transit-leadership-politics.pdf UR - http://www.michigan.gov/documents/mdot/RC1599B_455987_7.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1312028 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01532300 AU - Boyles, Stephen D AU - Melson, Christopher L AU - Rambha, Tarun AU - Duthie, Jennifer C AU - University of Texas, Austin AU - Southwest Region University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Game-Theoretic Analysis of Dynamic Traffic Equilibria PY - 2014/03//Final Report SP - 52p AB - Dynamic traffic assignment has grown steadily in popularity and use since its inception. It has become an important and permanent tool in transportation agencies across the country. However, the exact nature of dynamic traffic equilibrium, including existence and uniqueness results, is not fully known in simulation-based models. Specifically, the authors discuss the possibilities of unrealistic multiple equilibria that arise out of simplified flow models. This is demonstrated with a simple diverge-merge network and piecewise-linear fundamental diagrams are discussed as one possible resolution. KW - Dynamic traffic assignment KW - Game theory KW - Traffic equilibrium KW - Traffic flow UR - http://swutc.tamu.edu/publications/technicalreports/600451-00079-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1317277 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01531057 AU - Hesse, Damien AU - Tinjum, James M AU - National Center for Freight and Infrastructure Research and Education (CFIRE) AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Impact of Increasing Freight Loads on Rail Substructure from Fracking Sand Transportation PY - 2014/03//Final Report SP - 152p AB - In this report the effect of surface infiltration of frac sand and heavy axle loads (HALs) were studied for their impact on the ballast layer. Different combinations of ballast and fracking sand were constructed to observe long term trends of deformational behavior. The results of HAL tests show that for all ballast an increased rate of strain accumulation averaging 0.07%/MGT for every 30 kip car load increase occurs. The results of the surface spillage tests show an average increased rate of strain accumulation averaging 0.05%/MGT, 0.13%/MGT, and 0.31%/MGT for AREMA ballast #24, #4A, and #5 respectively, for a 7% increase in gravimetric water content. Modeling conducted by the WiscRail ® program show an increased maintenance interval of 50-100%. The increased shipment of frac sand for hydrocarbon recovery will affect the rail lines on which it is shipped. Increased monitoring and maintenance will need to be conducted for the lines to operate in an efficient manner. KW - Axle loads KW - Ballast (Railroads) KW - Deformation KW - Freight trains KW - Hydraulic fracturing KW - Maintenance of way KW - Sand KW - Wisconsin UR - http://www.wistrans.org/cfire/documents/FR_0710.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1316826 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01530296 AU - Kay, Andrew I AU - Noland, Robert B AU - Rodier, Caroline J AU - Mineta National Transit Research Consortium AU - California Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Transportation Futures: Policy Scenarios for Achieving Greenhouse Gas Reduction Targets PY - 2014/03//Final Report SP - 44p AB - Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions must be reduced by 50% to 80% by 2050 in order to limit global temperature increase to 2°C. This research analyzes three scenarios: changes in the perceived price of travel; land-use intensification; and, increases in transit use. Elasticity estimates are derived using an activity-based travel model for the state of California and broadly representative of the U.S. The VISION model is used to forecast changes in technology and fuel options for the U.S., providing a life cycle GHG forecast for the road transportation sector. Results suggest that aggressive policy action is needed, especially pricing policies,as well as technical innovations. Medium- and heavy-duty vehicles are in particular need of additional fuel or technology-based GHG reductions. KW - California KW - Diesel engine exhaust gases KW - Environmental policy KW - Greenhouse gases KW - Land use KW - Public transit KW - Regulation KW - Road pricing KW - Technological innovations KW - Transportation policy KW - Travel demand UR - http://transweb.sjsu.edu/PDFs/research/1149-greenhouse-gas-reduction-target-strategy.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1304839 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01530137 AU - Myers, John J AU - Hernandez, Eli AU - Center for Transportation Infrastructure and Safety/NUTC program AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Implementation of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) Sensors for Monitoring of Bridge Deck Corrosion in Missouri PY - 2014/03//Final Report SP - 31p AB - Chloride ion ingress is an important parameter that helps estimate the durability and service life of reinforced concrete (RC) and prestress concrete (PC) structures, especially in those structures exposed to marine environments and salts applied during the winter season for traffic safety. Current techniques used to detect chloride content and monitor the level of corrosion in RC and PC structures, such as acoustic emission, fiber optics, and electrochemical measurements, are time consuming, and invasive. In addition, they require external power sources, complex test setups, are expensive to implement, and often, it is difficult to interpret the data recorded in the field. In an effort to overcome these restrictions, an inexpensive, wireless corrosion detector sensor based on commercial radio frequency identification (RFID) technology that does not need to be powered by a local source of energy, has been developed by an Oklahoma State University’s research team. The purpose of the first phase of this project was to implement this innovative RFID corrosion sensor into a new bridge construction to collect data during monitoring to study both the reliability and field performance of the sensor in-situ and under laboratory conditions. The laboratory work attempted to correlate the sensor’s sensitivity to the level of corrosion in the structure. Phase II of this work will be focused on the long-term monitoring of the sensors installed in the field for a period of approximately 10 years. KW - Bridge decks KW - Chloride content KW - Corrosion KW - Missouri KW - Radio frequency identification KW - Sensors KW - Structural health monitoring UR - http://transportation.mst.edu/media/research/transportation/documents/R351%20Final%20Report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1315413 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01526333 AU - Qi, Yi AU - Chen, Xiaoming AU - Wang, Yubian AU - Lu, Yan AU - Texas Southern University AU - Southwest Region University Transportation Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Left-Turn Lanes at Unsignalized Median Openings PY - 2014/03//Technical Report SP - 61p AB - Due to the frequent presence of median openings in urban arterial settings, the requirements for the deceleration and storage of turning vehicles (e.g. American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Green Book) often exceed the available length between two adjacent openings which leaves traffic engineers having to decide whether left-turn lanes, shorter than the standards, can be used or not. The goal of this research was to investigate the minimum required length for the left-turn lanes at the unsignalized median openings, and study the safety and operational impacts of such left-turn lanes with substandard lengths. To achieve this goal, researchers: 1) synthesized existing related research; 2) developed models for storage lengths at unsignalized median openings; 3) developed models for estimating the delays caused by substandard deceleration lengths and the resulting excessive deceleration on main travel lanes; and 4) analyzed safety impacts of substandard median left-turn lanes. The results of this study led to the following key findings: 1) at the operational impacts perspective- if a substandard length left-turn lane can accommodate the necessary storage length and the deceleration length assuming a 20mph speed differential, it will not affect the operational performance of median openings significantly and the delays caused by using substandard length left-turn lane are significantly less than the delays associated with the absence of dedicated left-turn lanes; 2) at the safety impacts perspective- substandard length left-turn lanes will affect the safety performance of median openings. However, when it is impractical to provide the Greenbook required length, use of substandard length left-turn lanes may still be an option because of operational benefits comparing the no dedicated left-turn lane option; and 3) based on traffic simulation study- the required storage length is less than that estimated by the AASHTO “two-minute arrival” rule-of-thumb method. The minimum required storage length can be estimated with the regression model developed in this research. KW - Access control (Transportation) KW - Deceleration KW - Highway design KW - Highway safety KW - Left turn lanes KW - Length KW - Median openings KW - Unsignalized intersections KW - Urban areas UR - http://swutc.tamu.edu/publications/technicalreports/600451-00044-1.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1308850 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01526283 AU - Noland, Robert B AU - Hanson, Christopher S AU - Alan M. Voorhees Transportation Center AU - University Transportation Research Center AU - New Jersey Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Carbon Footprint Estimator, Phase II, Volume I – GASCAP Model PY - 2014/03//Final Report SP - 107p AB - The GASCAP model was developed to provide a software tool for analysis of the life-cycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with the construction and maintenance of transportation projects. This phase of development included techniques for estimating emissions from induced travel when a project involves a capacity expansion; a life-cycle maintenance module based on recommended procedures for maintaining a road surface over 50 years; an automated method for inputting construction equipment activity associated with selected project types; a method based on the Highway Capacity Manual for estimating emissions associated with project staging and the diversion of traffic around a worksite; methods for more easily updating emissions factors in the model; and, a variety of miscellaneous upgrades to account for SF6 emissions, upstream electricity emissions associated with asphalt, and incorporation of additional bid-sheet codes in the materials module. Four case studies to demonstrate the models usage were also conducted. These were: a large project case study (reconstruction of route 35 in Ocean County) that demonstrated the full capabilities of the model; a smaller project (route 47 resurfacing in Gloucester County) that focused on different staging options and the impact on emissions from traffic; an applied case study conducted in collaboration with New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) staff in the South Jersey regional office that focused on maintenance activities; and a demonstration of the relationship between the embodied fuel cost of a project and the GHG emissions. The software and related documentation is available for use on www.gascap.org and users are requested to upload any analysis results to provide information for further development of the software. KW - Case studies KW - Construction equipment KW - Construction projects KW - Greenhouse gases KW - Life cycle analysis KW - Maintenance KW - New Jersey KW - Pollutants KW - Software UR - http://www.utrc2.org/sites/default/files/pubs/Final-Appendices-GASCAP-PhaseII.pdf UR - http://www.utrc2.org/sites/default/files/pubs/Final-GASCAP-PhaseII.pdf UR - https://dspace.njstatelib.org/xmlui/handle/10929/32276 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1307324 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01526258 AU - Noland, Robert B AU - Hanson, Christopher S AU - Alan M. Voorhees Transportation Center AU - University Transportation Research Center AU - New Jersey Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Carbon Footprint Estimator, Phase II, Volume II – Technical Appendices PY - 2014/03//Final Report SP - 251p AB - The GASCAP model was developed to provide a software tool for analysis of the life-cycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with the construction and maintenance of transportation projects. This phase of development included techniques for estimating emissions from induced travel when a project involves a capacity expansion; a life-cycle maintenance module based on recommended procedures for maintaining a road surface over 50 years; an automated method for inputting construction equipment activity associated with selected project types; a method based on the Highway Capacity Manual for estimating emissions associated with project staging and the diversion of traffic around a worksite; methods for more easily updating emissions factors in the model; and, a variety of miscellaneous upgrades to account for SF6 emissions, upstream electricity emissions associated with asphalt, and incorporation of additional bid-sheet codes in the materials module. Four case studies to demonstrate the models usage were also conducted. These were: a large project case study (reconstruction of route 35 in Ocean County) that demonstrated the full capabilities of the model; a smaller project (route 47 resurfacing in Gloucester County) that focused on different staging options and the impact on emissions from traffic; an applied case study conducted in collaboration with New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) staff in the South Jersey regional office that focused on maintenance activities; and a demonstration of the relationship between the embodied fuel cost of a project and the GHG emissions. The software and related documentation is available for use on www.gascap.org and users are requested to upload any analysis results to provide information for further development of the software. KW - Case studies KW - Construction equipment KW - Construction projects KW - Greenhouse gases KW - Life cycle analysis KW - Maintenance KW - New Jersey KW - Pollutants KW - Software UR - http://www.utrc2.org/sites/default/files/pubs/Final-Appendices-GASCAP-PhaseII.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1307326 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01523309 AU - Qin, Nan AU - Brooker, Paul AU - Srinivasan, Sesha AU - University of Central Florida, Cocoa AU - Tuskegee University AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Hydrogen Fueling Stations Infrastructure PY - 2014/03 SP - 26p AB - Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles (FCEVs) can provide customers with the benefits of low to zero greenhouse gas emissions, high performance, and comfort without compromising range and refill time. With three major automakers (Honda, Hyundai, and Toyota) planning to introduce consumer FCEVs by the end of 2015, FCEVs will play an increasingly important role in the electric vehicle arena. Building hydrogen fueling infrastructure has been identified as a major obstacle in FCEV commercialization. This report is part of an ongoing effort within an Electric Vehicle Transportation Center (EVTC) project: “Fuel Cell Vehicle Technologies, Infrastructure and Requirements.” This report is based on a survey of recent literature on several key aspects of a hydrogen infrastructure: types of hydrogen fueling stations, station costs, station rollout strategy, and codes and standards. The majority of hydrogen infrastructure studies focus on California’s pioneering model of deploying and testing small fleets of FCEVs and demonstrational hydrogen fueling stations. Valuable lessons can be learned from California’s experiences and used by other states to plan and prepare for the challenges and opportunities that hydrogen transportation might bring. KW - California KW - Coding systems KW - Costs KW - Fuel cell vehicles KW - Fuel storage and delivery devices KW - Hydrogen fuels KW - Infrastructure KW - Literature reviews KW - Service stations KW - Standards UR - http://evtc.fsec.ucf.edu/reports/EVTC-RR-02-14.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1306933 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01522363 AU - Morris, William P AU - DeAnnuntis, Christopher AU - National Center for Transit Research AU - Florida Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Evaluation of Rear-end Bus Collisions and Identification of Possible Solutions PY - 2014/03//Final Report SP - 189p AB - The purpose of this project was to conduct a systematic study to examine rear-end collisions between motorists and public transit buses to achieve the following objectives: determine if rear-end collisions are increasing; conduct an assessment to ascertain the prevalence of rear-end collisions; identify conditions that exist when rear-end collisions occur; identify mitigation strategies for agencies that have identified rear-end collisions as a major issue; assess impact of Yield to Bus and pull-out bays on rear-end collisions; identify solutions and/or strategies to reduce rear-end collisions, and examine bus safety legislation in other states and assess whether Florida’s current statutes need to be revised. KW - Bus bays KW - Bus crashes KW - Countermeasures KW - Crash characteristics KW - Florida KW - Highway safety KW - Legislation KW - Multiple vehicle crashes KW - Rear end crashes UR - http://www.fdot.gov/research/Completed_Proj/Summary_PTO/FDOT-BDK85-977-50-rpt.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1303638 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01522260 AU - Petersen, Jonathan AU - Lowry, Michael AU - LaPaglia, Kristen AU - Tower, Bradford AU - TranLIVE AU - National Institute for Advanced Transportation Technology AU - Department of Transportation AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Sustainable Transportation: Technology, Engineering, and Science - Summer Camp Instructor’s Guide PY - 2014/03//Final Report SP - 55p AB - This document reproduces the instructor’s guide for a ten day transportation engineering summer camp that was held at the University of Idaho in July 2013. The instructor’s guide is split into three units: Unit 1: Vehicle Technology, Unit 2: Traffic Engineering and Operations, Unit 3: Transportation Science and Planning. The summer camp was hosted by TRIO Upward Bound. Student participants were low-income, first generation college bound high school students. The goal of the camp was to encourage careers in transportation engineering. KW - Education and training KW - High school students KW - Sustainable transportation KW - Transportation careers KW - Transportation engineering UR - http://www.uidaho.edu/~/media/Files/orgs/ENGR/Research/NIATT/TranLIVE/Final%20Reports/UI_TranLIVE_Final%20Report_Instructor%20Guide UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1305806 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01520715 AU - Maheshwari, Sharad K AU - D’Souza, Kelwyn A AU - Hampton University AU - Eastern Seaboard Intermodal Transportation Applications Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Impact of Education and Awareness Programs on the Usage and Attitude Towards Texting While Driving Among Young Drivers PY - 2014/03//Final Report SP - 70p AB - Several studies have been completed about reasons why young drivers are attracted to texting while driving. However, there is a lack of studies in the area of impact of education and awareness programs about the danger of texting while driving. In this study, two different education and awareness programs were designed based on the input from the young drivers. 72 randomly selected participants were divided into three groups: control, awareness treatment and education treatment. A pre-test-post-test experiment was conducted on each group. The results of these experiments measured the effectiveness of the selected programs. The major findings of the research are: (1) Young drivers are generally aware of the danger of texting while driving. (2) The majority of young drivers do text while driving. (3) Young drivers receive different risk level for reading text than either initiating new conversation or replying to the text message. (4) After treatments, drivers perceived texting while driving as more dangerous activity than before treatment. (5) After both treatments, there was a slight reduction in the texting-while-driving behavior. The video treatment (public service announcements (PSAs)) group showed more reduction than the lecture group. (6) Participants with higher educational achievements show a slight reduction in texting while driving. (7) Increased awareness of the danger of texting while driving is a positive sign. It indicates that repeated consistent messaging about the danger of texting while driving may help in reducing texting while driving among young drivers. KW - Attitudes KW - Behavior KW - Demographics KW - Safety education KW - Teenage drivers KW - Text messaging UR - http://docs.hamptonu.edu/student/5835-esitac_safety_finalreport__2014_2014040193456.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1303873 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01520702 AU - Jagasivamani, Vadivel AU - Hampton University AU - Eastern Seaboard Intermodal Transportation Applications Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Investigation of Corrosion and Other Deterioration Effects in Highway Bridge Components Using Nondestructive Testing Technology of Acoustic Emission PY - 2014/03//Final Report SP - 19p AB - Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) carries out periodical evaluation of the damages and deterioration in aging highway bridges and performs maintenance, rehabilitation and repair (MR&R) to prolong their useful life. The process of identifying the deterioration, locating the defects and identifying the means of preventing further damages is time consuming and in most cases the process is subjective in nature. There are possibilities of human error in assessing the status of such damages. Better methods of testing the bridges are needed to perform these operations efficiently and effectively. In-service diagnostic methods for the evaluation of corrosion steel-reinforced concrete structures are useful to reduce the maintenance costs and to ensure safety. Acoustic Emission (AE) monitoring is one of the most promising methods to monitor the deterioration of the structure. There are several nondestructive testing (NDT) methods to complement AE monitoring. It is essential to support the results of AE tests, using other techniques too, to improve the reliability of test results. Resistivity measurement on the surface of concrete is identified as one of the useful methods to improve the reliability of testing for corrosion. This research effort focused on testing Highway Bridge in the Denbigh Boulevard, crossing Interstate-64, for studies of corrosion related damages in the concrete columns, using AE method. With a permanent installation of AE monitoring facility the integrity of the structural members can be monitored continuously, as the damages take place, thereby maintenance work can be carried out in time. In addition to AE method, resistivity measurements in the columns were carried out to evaluate the usefulness of such tests. KW - Acoustic emission KW - Corrosion KW - Electrical resistivity KW - Highway bridges KW - Nondestructive tests KW - Reinforced concrete bridges KW - Structural health monitoring KW - Test procedures KW - Virginia UR - http://docs.hamptonu.edu/student/5835-esitac_nde_finalreport_2014_2014040193418.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1303872 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01520480 AU - Hunter, James G AU - Kang, Dong Hee AU - Bundy, Mark M AU - Morgan State University AU - Maryland State Highway Administration AU - Morgan State University AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Identification of Techniques to Meet pH Standard During In-Stream Construction PY - 2014/03//Final Report SP - 99p AB - Many of Maryland’s tributaries traverse highway infrastructure via culverts that are managed and maintained by Maryland State Highway Administration (SHA). These culverts are often made of galvanized steel and over time are subjected to scour. Concrete grout is often used as a repair material when these issues are identified. However, once water is allowed to inundate the freshly paved culvert, the grout surface can produce a dissolution effect in which elevated pH can impact downstream waters. The occurrence of this pH spike from grout has been reported in past projects, and has resulted in concerns as the pH of water may reach above the regulatory limit of 8.5. The goal of this project was to ensure that SHA has a proper specification and remedial actions for addressing the pH concern. The overall objectives of this research were to (1) review the current specification for using grout for culvert maintenance, (2) determine the various parameters that control pH spikes for effluent waters, (3) determine applicable remedial applications, and (4) revise the current specification and provide a guidance document/tool for SHA and contractors. Laboratory and field studies were used to investigate and test these objectives. KW - Culverts KW - Field studies KW - Grout KW - Laboratory tests KW - Maintenance practices KW - Maryland KW - pH value KW - Specifications KW - Water quality UR - http://www.roads.maryland.gov/OPR_Research/MD-14-SP109B4D_pH-Standard_Report.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/51000/51500/51581/MD-14-SP109B4D_pH-Standard_Report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1303557 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01519393 AU - Shin, Hyeonshic AU - Lee, Young-Jae AU - Dadvar, Seyedehsan AU - Morgan State University AU - Maryland State Highway Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - The Development of Local Calibration Factors for Implementing the Highway Safety Manual in Maryland PY - 2014/03//Final Report SP - 134p AB - The goal of the study was to determine local calibration factors (LCFs) to adjust predicted motor vehicle traffic crashes for the Maryland-specific application of the Highway Safety Manual (HSM). Since HSM predictive models were developed using data from states other than Maryland, the predictive models should be calibrated. LCFs for all 18 facility types were calculated using Maryland data. After data collection and compilation, samples were drawn based on 90% confidence level, which increased the overall sample size. After the comparison between HSM default crash proportion and Maryland specific data, the use of the Maryland data was suggested. In general, LCFs for all facilities were less than 1.0, implying Maryland had fewer crashes than predicted crashes estimated by HSM crash prediction methodology. Especially, LCFs for intersections were extremely low. Due to potential issues with unreported minor and property damage only crashes, the authors recommend using LCFs for fatal and injuries crashes where available. The report concludes with a discussion on data limitation, thoughts about HSM sampling requirement, and suggestions for future research. It should be noted that this study only considered roadways maintained by Maryland State Highway Administration and Baltimore City was not part of this study. KW - Calibration KW - Crash data KW - Data collection KW - Highway Safety Manual KW - Maryland KW - Sampling KW - Traffic crashes UR - http://www.roads.maryland.gov/OPR_Research/MD-14-SP209B4J_Local-Calibration-Factors-for-HSM_Report.pdf UR - http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/51000/51500/51551/MD-14-SP209B4J_Local-Calibration-Factors-for-HSM_Report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1302632 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01519005 AU - Sneed, Lesley AU - Anderson, Neil AU - Torgashov, Evgeniy AU - Missouri University of Science and Technology, Rolla AU - Missouri University of Science and Technology, Rolla AU - Missouri Department of Transportation AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Center for Transportation Infrastructure and Safety/NUTC program AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Nondestructive Evaluation of MoDOT Bridge Decks – Pilot Study PY - 2014/03//Final Report SP - 194p AB - This research has examined the use of nondestructive techniques for concrete bridge deck condition assessments. The primary nondestructive testing/evaluation (NDT/NDE) technique utilized in this research was ground-coupled ground penetrating radar (GPR). The objectives of this research were to examine the utility of the nondestructive techniques in evaluating the condition of Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) bridge decks to enable faster, better, and more cost-effective bridge deck assessments, and to determine the accuracy of the information provided. Eleven bridge decks were investigated using detailed visual inspections, GPR, portable seismic property analyzer (PSPA), core extraction, and chloride ion concentration measurements. The cores underwent a detailed visual evaluation and testing to determine the volume of permeable pore space. Data sets were compared to determine correlations between the results. Three of the bridge decks investigated underwent rehabilitation by hydrodemolition after the initial investigation, and concrete material removal was surveyed using lidar to evaluate the NDE estimations. Good correlation was observed qualitatively. Areas of the decks where the GPR interpretations indicated evidence of extensive deterioration generally corresponded to areas with greater concrete material removal depths after hydrodemolition, and areas where the GPR interpretations indicated no evidence of deterioration generally corresponded to areas with minimal concrete removal. Findings suggest that the correlation between the GPR interpretations and concrete removal depths can be improved quantitatively by adjusting the GPR threshold values used in the interpretation, although the major challenge will be to understand how to determine the threshold values without having the benefit of the control data. Finally, recommended parameters are provided for ground-coupled GPR data acquisition, processing, and interpretation. KW - Bridge decks KW - Concrete bridges KW - Data collection KW - Ground penetrating radar KW - Missouri KW - Nondestructive tests KW - Structural health monitoring UR - http://library.modot.mo.gov/RDT/reports/TRyy1308/cmr14-010.pdf UR - http://library.modot.mo.gov/RDT/reports/TRyy1308/GPR_Data/ UR - http://library.modot.mo.gov/RDT/reports/TRyy1308/Videos/ UR - http://transportation.mst.edu/media/research/transportation/documents/R311%20Final%20Report.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1301935 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01518837 AU - Linkous, Clovis A AU - Youngstown State University Center for Transportation and Materials Engineering AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Development of an On-Board H₂ Storage and Recovery System Based on Lithium Borohydride PY - 2014/02/28/Final Report SP - 14p AB - Alkali metal borohydrides based on sodium and lithium, NaBH4 and LiBH4, have been evaluated as a potential hydrogen storage and recovery system for on-board vehicle use. The borohydride salts could be dissolved in water, followed by a hydrolytic reaction evolving hydrogen gas, H2. It was found that pH of the aqueous solution, temperature, concentration of the borohydride salt, and exposure to catalytic surfaces all played a role in the rate of H2 evolution. The solution pH alone could vary the gas evolution rate over several orders of magnitude. However, without addition of external reagents, the solution left to itself would quickly rise into the pH 10-11 range and level out, due to the buffering capacity of the boric acid product. Therefore, it was decided to exclude secondary reagents and let the pH stay near the buffered value, and use other variables to control gas evolution rate. Varying temperature from ambient to 80°C enabled a four-fold increase in reaction rate, enabling an effective means of control. Inserting plastic substrates bearing painted films of organic pigment catalysts such as pyranthrenedione into the borohydride solution could enhance gas evolution rates up to 40%. Better design of the mixing chamber could greatly improve this effect. In general, LiBH4 and NaBH4 evolved H2 at the same rate, but the lithium salt had a tendency to generate an initial surge upon contact with solution that could make it potentially problematic when mixing at high rates in tight spaces. As a proof of concept, a remote controlled, 1/10th scale monster truck was obtained and modified to run off of a proton-exchange membrane fuel cell supplied with H2 from a borohydride generator. KW - Electrochemical processes KW - Fuel cells KW - Hydrogen fuels KW - Hydrogen storage KW - Lithium compounds KW - pH value KW - Temperature UR - http://web.ysu.edu/gen/stem_generated_bin/documents/basic_module/Final_reportCTMELinkous.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1301146 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01518801 AU - Lin, Teng AU - Wang, John AU - Zuo, Lei AU - State University of New York, Stony Brook AU - University Transportation Research Center AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Energy Harvesting from Rail Track for Transportation Safety and Monitoring PY - 2014/02/20/Final Report SP - 17p AB - An efficient electromagnetic energy harvester featured with mechanical motion rectifier (MMR) was designed to recover energy from the vibration-like railroad track deflections induced by passing trains. Compared to typical existing vibration energy harvester technologies can only harvest sub-watts or milliwatts power applications, the proposed harvester is designed to power major track-side accessories and possibly make railroad independent from national grid. Trackside electrical infrastructures for safety and monitoring typically require a power supply of 10-100 Watts, such as warning signals, switches, and health monitoring systems. To achieve such a goal the authors implement the MMR, a patented motion conversion mechanism which transforms pulse-like bidirectional linear vibration into unidirectional rotational motion at a high efficiency. The single-shaft MMR design further improved the previously developed motion mechanism, increased energy harvester efficiency and expanded power harvesting potential. Major advantages of implementing MMR include bidirectional to unidirectional motion conversion and flywheel speed regulation. The proposed new design improved reliability, efficiency, and provided steadier power output. Bench test of the harvester prototype illustrate the advantages of the MMR based harvester, including up to 71% mechanical efficiency and 50W power output. KW - Deflection KW - Electric power generation KW - Electromagnetic devices KW - Energy conversion KW - Prototypes KW - Railroad tracks KW - Vibration UR - http://www.utrc2.org/sites/default/files/pubs/Final-Energy-Harvesting-Railtrack.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1301231 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01562677 TI - Risk-taking Behaviors and Pre-frontal Cortex Activity of Male Adolescents in the Presence of Peer Passengers during Simulated Driving: A Functional Near-infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) Study AB - Crash statistics show that adolescent drivers are more likely to be involved in motor vehicle crashes than adults; with the presence of peer passengers being 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 to 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 we propose 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. We propose the use of functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) technology, a non-invasive 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 will simultaneously be measured. In addition, participants will undertake a well-validated computerized measure of risk taking (Balloon Analogue Risk Task) as an additional assessment of risk-taking behavior. We hypothesize that for teenagers the presence of a peer passenger while driving will show different activation in the selected brain regions associated with reward sensitivity, cognitive control, and response inhibition as compared to teenagers driving alone, and that the activation will be different for adults compared to teenagers. KW - Crash data KW - Driving simulators KW - High risk drivers KW - Males KW - Peer groups KW - Peer pressure in adolescence KW - Risk taking KW - Teenage drivers UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1352368 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01562676 TI - Predicting Performance in the Occlusion Compliance Test in NHTSA Distraction Guidelines AB - The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA's) visual-manual guidelines specify how to determine if driver interfaces are distracting. In the visual occlusion method, subjects wear a pair of goggles that cycle between being open (seeing the interface) and closed (not seeing the interface but seeing the road) to determine the task time. That method was used in a prior project to assess a next generation Hyundai navigation radio. Occlusion task time was estimated using task element times (e.g., button press durations) from the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) Recommended Practice J2365 (written by the Project Director and being revised by him) and Pettitt's method, that describes what drivers do when occluded.) To improve those estimates, a frame-by-frame analysis will be carried out to determine the exact time of each hand movement, etc., in the 24 hours of video data, along with the exact times the goggles cycle. Determined will be (1) the distributions of task element times, (2) how well those means compared with the times in J2365, (3) how the measured times were affected by an interrupting occlusion, (4) which task elements begun during vision were continued through occlusion, and other issues. Conceptual and computational human performance models will guide the data analysis. The results will be summarized in a technical report and SAE J2365 will be revised. Following SAE Safety and Human Factors Committee Practice, there will be periodic presentations to the entire committee (40 members, 80 information recipients) several times per year. In addition, a summary journal article will be produced. This research will be conducted by a team highly experienced in doing studies of visual occlusion, using data that already exist, to develop a low-cost assessment method codified as an SAE Recommended Practice for a safety-related topic that is of high priority to the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT). This represents a fundamental change in driver interface evaluation. KW - Compliance KW - Distraction KW - Driver performance KW - Driver vehicle interfaces KW - Driving simulators KW - Goggles KW - Interfaces KW - Occlusion KW - U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1352367 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01529056 AU - Kheiry, Pezhouhan Tavassoti AU - Solaimanian, Mansour AU - Qiu, Tong AU - Pennsylvania State University, University Park AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration AU - Mid-Atlantic Universities Transportation Center TI - Nondestructive Evaluation of Warm Mix Asphalt through Resonant Column Testing PY - 2014/02/14/Final Report SP - 46p AB - Non-destructive testing has been used for decades to characterize engineering properties of hot-mix asphalt. Among such tests is the resonant column (RC) test, which is commonly used to characterize soil materials. The resonant column device at Penn State was used to determine the modulus and damping of warm-mix asphalt prepared with three different warm-mix technologies: water foaming, a waxy additive, and a chemical additive. Specimens were prepared in a Superpave gyratory compactor and then sawed and drilled to deliver the geometry needed for the RC tests. Hot-mix asphalt specimens were also tested to provide reference data. Testing was completed at 25 ºC. The RC device specimen assembly had to be retrofitted to make it suitable for testing asphalt concrete, which has a higher stiffness than soils at ambient temperatures. The results indicated that the RC test can be successfully used to determine the shear modulus of the asphalt concrete. Different torque levels, therefore inducing different strain levels, could be applied in the RC test to determine the range of linear elastic behavior of the material. This is an important step to ensure the validity of assumptions used for the purpose of modulus calculations. At 25 ºC, it was found that the lowest shear modulus was found for the mix prepared through the water foaming process, and the highest modulus was found for the mix with the waxy additive (Sasobit). The modulus of the mix with the chemical additive and the modulus of the hot-mix asphalt were found to be in between. Use of the RC test to determine the damping properties of asphalt concrete proved to be more challenging and strain dependent, even when maintaining the strain within the linear elastic range. KW - Asphalt concrete KW - Columns KW - Nondestructive tests KW - Properties of materials KW - Resonant column testing KW - Shear modulus KW - Warm mix paving mixtures UR - http://www.mautc.psu.edu/docs/PSU-2012-02.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1313589 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01516305 AU - Wang, Ruigang AU - Youngstown State University Center for Transportation and Materials Engineering AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Hydrothermal Synthesis and Shape-Reactivity Correlation Study of Automotive Three-Way Nanocatalysts PY - 2014/02/12/Final Report SP - 11p AB - This project shows that the hydrothermal method can be used to tune the shape/size of Cerium Oxide (CeO2) nanocrystals. CeO2 nanorods and nanocubes have been successfully prepared at low and high hydrothermal reaction temperature, respectively. The chemisorption analysis and carbon monoxide (CO) oxidation test evidenced that a high oxygen vacancy concentration in CeO2 nanorods leads to a lower temperature reducibility and superior catalytic activity, compared to CeO2 nanocubes. Out of this project, three refereed and two proceeding papers were published, along with several oral presentations made by the principal investigator (PI) and students. KW - Catalysts KW - Cerium oxides KW - Hydrothermal processing KW - Materials at high or low temperatures KW - Nanostructured materials KW - Shape KW - Size KW - Synthesis (Chemistry) UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1298741 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01556862 TI - Capturing the Benefit of Complete Streets AB - Anecdotal information indicates that private investment and property value increases are associated with featured Complete Streets projects; however, the studies do not compare them to the economic benefits or return on investment of non-Complete Streets projects. Therefore, this research will investigate comparing investments in roadway capacity (i.e., projects that serve to increase private vehicle speed and/or level of service, without Complete Streets components) with investments that result in decreased private vehicles speeds and increased safety (i.e., projects that have some Complete Streets components). Such research will lead to a better understanding of the differences among such projects in creating jobs, spurring private investment, increasing property values, and overall improved economic impacts. This will help transportation agencies to understand the marginal returns that can be expected from investments in non-traditional project expenditures that improve accessibility of roadways for transit, bicyclists, and pedestrians and that reflect and promote community visions and plans. KW - Complete streets KW - Economic benefits KW - Highway capacity KW - Highway safety KW - Investments KW - Property values KW - Return on investment KW - Streets UR - http://www.nctr.usf.edu/2015/03/capturing-the-benefits-of-complete-streets/ UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1346110 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01516455 AU - Wang, Ruigang AU - Youngstown State University Center for Transportation and Materials Engineering AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Study of Low-Temperature Active Rare-Earth Oxide Catalysts for Automotive Exhaust Clean-up PY - 2014/02/11 SP - 12p AB - The authors report a facile one–pot synthesis of CexZr1-xO2 (010-20°) and can mobilize directly from a landslide mass, grow from a small failure with subsequent entrainment of sediment from bed-slope erosion, or initiate from surface water runoff with subsequent erosion and particle entrainment (e.g., Varnes 1978; Hungr et al. 2005; Hungr et al. 2014). Thus, the total mass of a debris flow depends predominantly on characteristics of channel and bed sediments. The recent Oso Landslide in Washington State (Keaton et al. 2014), was a traditional circular-arc slope failure that mobilized into a large debris flow and inundated an entire community, claiming 43 lives. This recent and catastrophic event documents the real threat debris flows present and indicates additional research is needed to understand debris flow mobility and improve geo-hazard warning and mitigation systems. The size, extent, and frequency of debris flows vary considerably with respect to surface material composition, geologic setting, and amount of water present (Jakob 2005). Detailed assessments of debris flows in the Western United States have been conducted for both unburned and burned areas following wildfires (e.g., Santi et al. 2013). The prevalence of wildfires in the Western United States and the removal of ground cover and root reinforcement in surficial soils considerably increase the likelihood of debris flows as well as the volume of sediment within a given debris flow. The frequency and magnitude of wildfires in the Western United States has increased over the past decade and is anticipated to further increase due to climate variability (Robichaud et al. 2010). Furthermore, landslides, and in particular debris flows, often occur along transportation corridors in the Western United States due to the presence of disturbed soil and rock involved in roadway construction combined with steep slopes associated with mountainous terrain (Highland 2012). Thus, debris flows remain an ever present and growing risk for transportation corridors in the Western United States. The ability to understand practical hazard mitigation possibilities prior to the occurrence of a debris flow will provide transportation personnel and consulting engineers vital tools to enhance protection of human life, infrastructure, and the environment. Debris flow mitigation structures most commonly are deployed in the vicinity of infrastructure, and include flexible barriers, levees and dams, and/or baffles (Mizuyama 2008; Wendeler et al. 2008; Santi 2012; Ng. et al. 2014; Choi et al. 2015). The most successful mitigation strategies involve entrapping debris as the material moves down a channel to prevent an increase in overall volume of the debris flow due to subsequent channel erosion and entrainment (e.g., Iverson 1997; Santi 2012). Thus, mitigation strategies are designed with the same fundamental purpose: prevent development and downslope movement of debris flows. Rigid mitigation structures (e.g., dams, levees, and baffles) primarily function to impede flow, such that impact forces on downslope structures and overall run-out distance of the flow are reduced. These structures are often expensive and labor intensive to build, and present difficulties with construction and maintenance when needed in remote areas. Retention-type systems, such as silt fences and basins, quickly fill with sediment and water and easily overflow. Due to these construction challenges and performance limitations with current mitigation strategies, recent research has focused on the efficacy of flexible barriers as a debris flow mitigation strategy. Pictures of flexible barrier systems for mitigation of debris flow hazards and a rigid, debris rack structure are shown in Figure 1. In general, flexible barrier systems include (i) a steel mesh- or ring-type structure that spans the width of a channel and (ii) a connection system that attaches the steel structure to the earth. The structure is designed to retain material and is constructed of loosely connected high tensile-strength steel wire rings or mesh that is supported by steel wire ropes anchored to the ground (DeNatale et al 1999; Roth et al. 2010; Canelli et al 2012; Brighenti et al 2013; Volkein et al. 2011; Volkein et al. 2015). The open, freely- draining properties of the steel rings or mesh allow water and small debris to pass through the barrier, increasing the material retention capacity and reducing build-up of pore water pressure behind the barrier. Flexible barriers are light-weight and require minimal space for installation, creating an ideal structure for installation in remote locations (Sasiharan et al. 2006) and along transportation corridors where right-of-way and zoning issues constrain design possibilities for hazard mitigation structures (Wendeler et al. 2008). Roth et al. (2010) report that flexible barrier systems were effective in mitigating large erosion events and that retention capacity of the barrier system can be restored by removing accumulated debris. Current design methods for flexible barrier mitigation systems rely on empirical methods, engineering judgment, and experience (e.g., Sasiharan et al. 2006; Volkein et al. 2015). However, application of one barrier design to a different site often results in over and under design of structural strength or debris retention capacity, as each site requires unique barrier heights, capacities, and earth retention infrastructure (Volkein et al. 2011). Recent experimental and numerical studies have documented that key aspects to avoid barrier failure include a strong anchorage system, strong lateral wires and up-slope support connections, energy absorption capabilities, protection against abrasion, and suitable retention volumes (Roth et al. 2010; Canelli et al 2012; Brighenti et al 2013; Volkein et al. 2011; Volkein et al. 2015). However, this collection of research does not provide guidance on model parameterization for design of a flexible barrier system or develop practical tools such that transportation personnel and other relevant practitioners can readily design flexible barrier systems for site-specific conditions. Various efforts have been put forth for developing terrain models for shallow landslide predictions. The models initially utilized steady-state conditions and were further extended to include dynamic and hydrologic conditions to estimate local pore water pressure driving instability (Montgomery and Dietrich 1994; Pack et al. 1998; Wu and Sidle 1995; Casadei et al. 2003; Iverson 2000; Rosso et al. 2006). High level of accuracy was achieved in these models for three-dimensional variably saturated flow calculations. However, for landslide modeling over a large area, approximate solutions have been used to capture the increased complexity associated with spatial pore water pressure dynamics. The most advanced approximate modeling enables treatment of both the lateral subsurface flow and the dynamic passage of vertical flux on pore water pressure development (Iverson 2000). For modeling the behavior of structural systems, various software packages exist; e.g., ABAQUS, ANSYS, SAP2000, etc. These software packages have been well-verified against benchmark studies and have been extensively used for the assessment of complex phenomena characterized by geometric and material nonlinearities. Merging of structural and soil-fluid modeling capabilities can prove very effective in studying problems concerned with fluid-structure interaction. Recent development of such capabilities includes Coupled Eulerian-Lagrangian (CEL) analysis in ABAQUS software. The Eulerian capability included in ABAQUS can be coupled with traditional Lagrangian capabilities to model interactions between highly deformable materials and relatively stiff bodies, such as in fluid-structure interaction. The availability of this formulation significantly reduces the analysis time for fluid-structure interaction problems in comparison to traditional computational fluid dynamics. This modeling technique, although relatively new, has been verified and used for simulating tsunami debris impact load on structural walls (Como and Mahmoud 2013). KW - ABAQUS (Computer program) KW - ANSYS (Computer program) KW - Colorado KW - Debris flows KW - Erosion KW - Landslides KW - Pore water pressures KW - Runoff KW - Soil structure interaction UR - http://www.mountain-plains.org/research/projects/downloads/2015-mpc-482.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1372685 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01579598 TI - Incorporating River Network Structure for Improved Hydrologic Design of Transportation Infrastructure AB - Sustainable construction and maintenance of transportation infrastructure requires accurate hydrologic design. A critical element of the hydrologic design is the estimation of the flow rates that bridges and culverts must convey and their abutments must withstand. It is difficult to determine reliable design flows because most channels are ungauged. Furthermore, urbanization and climate change are altering basins and introducing additional uncertainty. For ungauged basins, storm flows are most commonly estimated using synthetic unit hydrograph (UH) methods. Synthetic UHs are closely related to the travel time distribution for runoff that is produced throughout the basin to the outlet, and they are commonly estimated from the physical characteristics of the basin. Using an assumption that the storm flows are linearly related to the excess rainfall amounts, the synthetic UH can be used to determine the flow rates that are produced by any selected storm. Several methods are available in software such as HEC-HMS to estimate synthetic UHs. For example, the Soil Conservation Service (SCS) method in HEC-HMS is based on a single dimensionless UH that is assumed to apply in all cases. To develop the synthetic UH for a given basin, the dimensionless UH is simply rescaled using values for the time to peak and the peak UH value. Those two values can be calculated from the basin area, length, slope, and curve number. Similarly, the Clark method in HEC-HMS is based on a single time-area curve that describes the distribution of travel times to the outlet. The time coordinates are multiplied by the time of concentration, which is estimated in a similar manner as the time to peak in the SCS method. The resulting UH is then routed through a linear reservoir to determine the final synthetic UH. The use of synthetic UHs has two recognized limitations. First, the approach assumes linearity between the excess rainfall amounts and storm flows at the basin outlet. However, it is well-known that higher volumes of flow tend to move faster. That behavior violates linearity and can increase the magnitude of the peak flow and potentially affect the suitability of a bridge or culvert design. Second, these synthetic UHs do not account for differences in the channel network structure. Channel networks are known to exhibit distinct structures (such as dendritic, parallel, pinnate, rectangular, or trellis) depending on the conditions under which they developed. Such diverse networks are abundant in the mountains-plains region, and they convey flow to their outlets using very different flow-path distributions. Some synthetic UH methods have been proposed to allow consideration of basin shape. For example, the modified Clark method (Kull and Feldman, 1998) replaces the standardized time-area curve with one that is derived for the basin of interest. The geomorphic instantaneous unit hydrograph (Rodríguez-Iturbe and Valdés, 1979) describes the channel network using locally-derived Horton’s ratios. Although these methods include the actual basin shape, they still rely on the linearity assumption. Other methods have been proposed to relax the linearity assumption, but they do not consider the channel network type. KW - Abutments KW - Bridges KW - Culverts KW - Hydrographs KW - Hydrology KW - Rainfall KW - Rivers KW - Runoff UR - http://www.mountain-plains.org/research/projects/downloads/2015-mpc-481.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1372684 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01579597 TI - A Comprehensive Safety Assessment Methodology for Innovative Geometric Designs AB - Innovative geometric designs are often considered as a solution to the challenge of meeting the increasing travel demands with limited recourses (FHWA, 2009). This study focuses on one such design, the diverging diamond interchange (DDI), which aims to improve traffic flow and reduce congestion at highway junctions (Schroeder et al., 2014); but the methodology proposed is transferable to other geometric designs. Utah was among the first states to consider the DDI as a viable interchange option. The state opened its first DDI at the intersection of American Fork Main Street and I-15 in August 2010. Empirical studies have demonstrated the operational and cost benefits of DDIs (Bared et al., 2006; MoDOT, 2011; UDOT 2012; Yang et al, 2014); however, the safety impact remains inconclusive. Theoretically, the DDI design offers a safety benefit because it reduces the number of conflict points in comparison to other interchange options, which can lead to fewer crashes in general. Moreover, the lower design speeds in DDIs may also result in fewer and less severe crashes. One major safety concern with DDIs is that drivers may stay to the right at the crossovers and accidentally enter the opposing lanes. Despite the theoretical safety benefits, little research has been undertaken to quantify the safety impact of DDI using real-world crash data, primarily because of the limited accident history available. A preliminary safety study (MoDOT, 2011) directly compared the crash rates before and after the construction of a DDI in Missouri and concluded that total crashes dropped by 46% in the first year of operation. However, the simple before-and-after method assumes that any changes to the safety performance can be attributed solely to the DDI design. In reality, confounding factors that change continuously, such as traffic flow, traffic composition, and weather conditions, can also affect the safety performance. Therefore, the project proposes an alternative approach to deal with possible confounding factors by comparing the safety performance of DDIs with that of a group of reference sites. In addition, most existing safety studies on novel geometric designs only investigate vehicle crashes. Nevertheless, to fully understand the overall safety impact, the project also needs to take pedestrian and cyclist safety into consideration. Since a DDI usually attracts more traffic to the interchange, pedestrians and cyclists may feel intimidated by this increase and they may take detours to avoid the interchange. Hence, pedestrian and cyclist crashes may migrate from the interchange to nearby intersections. As a result, the project also proposes to examine all crashes involving pedestrians and cyclists within a one- to three-mile radius of the interchange and comprehensively evaluate the true safety effects of DDIs. Utah has been a pioneer and leader in adopting innovative interchange and intersection designs. Currently, the state has six operating DDIs and more are under construction or planned. Four DDIs in the state have been opened to traffic for more than two years, which provides sufficient accident data for a comprehensive safety study. This study will be one of the first independent studies in the nation to investigate the overall safety impact of DDIs. The results will be useful in evaluating DDI construction and retrofit projects in Utah as well as other states. The research is expected to have a broad and significant impact on the implementation of innovative interchange and intersection designs. KW - Before and after studies KW - Crash data KW - Diamond interchanges KW - Geometric design KW - Missouri KW - Safety KW - Traffic congestion KW - Traffic flow KW - Travel demand KW - Utah UR - http://www.mountain-plains.org/research/projects/downloads/2015-mpc-480.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1372683 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01579596 TI - Modeling Multi-class Truck Traffic Assignment Method with Different Traffic Restraint Constraints AB - Traffic assignment is an essential and fundamental step in the transportation planning and management processes (Sheffi, 1985; Patriksson, 1994; Bell and Iida, 1997). Given constant travel demands between each origin-destination (O-D) pair (i.e., travelers), and travel cost functions for each link of the network (i.e., transportation network), the traffic assignment problem is to determine the traffic flow pattern as well as network performance measures (e.g., total system travel time, vehicle miles of travel, vehicle hours of travel, fuel consumption and emission, etc.). In practice, most traffic assignment models are single user class and make a number of modeling assumptions including: separability assumption on the link travel time function (i.e., no interactions), deterministic user equilibrium (DUE) or stochastic user equilibrium (SUE) without accounting for route overlapping, and no side constraints to describe the limited supply of certain scarce resources (e.g., link capacities) in a network which are shared by multiple vehicle types (e.g., passenger cars and multiple truck types) or to limit certain classes of vehicles (e.g., trucks) on underpasses due to height restriction, bridges due to weight restriction, and prohibited lanes due to lane restriction. However, as truck traffic continues to grow as a result of increasing freight shipments transported by trucks, there is an increasing interest to model multiple vehicle classes separately, especially in addressing the impacts of truck traffic on congestion, infrastructure deterioration, safety, and environmental concerns in many urban cities. According to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS), freight shipments transported by trucks account for 71 percent by value in U.S. dollars and 76 percent by weight in tons of all commodity shipments (BTS, 2014). Hence, the purpose of this proposal is to develop advanced traffic assignment method and computation algorithm for addressing the asymmetric vehicle interactions, route overlapping, and traffic restraints in multi-class traffic assignment problems involving multiple types of trucks. KW - Origin and destination KW - Routes KW - Traffic assignment KW - Traffic flow KW - Traffic restraint KW - Travel demand KW - Travel time KW - Truck traffic KW - Vehicle miles of travel UR - http://www.mountain-plains.org/research/projects/downloads/2015-mpc-479.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1372679 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01579595 TI - Long-Term Behavior of Precast Concrete Bridges AB - The inclusion of uniform temperature effects for bridges has traditionally been incorporated in design by allowing for expansion and contraction through the utilization of bearings and joints or deformations of the piers and abutments in the case of integral abutment construction. However, as a result of the growth in the multi-modal transportation system, more complex and longer-span bridges are now being constructed, requiring new material technologies and design methodologies. These modern bridges are increasing the necessity for accurate accounting of thermal effects to achieve the desired in-service performance. In general, temperature effects not only include these uniform changes but also changes in temperature gradients throughout the day. A vertical nonlinear temperature gradient over the height of the bridge cross section is caused by the relatively low thermal conductivity of the concrete deck and the variation of ambient temperature magnitudes with time. This nonlinear temperature gradient induces longitudinal stresses over the height of each of the girders across the width of the bridge that can lead to cracking and unacceptable service conditions if not taken into account properly. The magnitude of the temperature gradients that are produced over the height of a bridge structure depend mainly on geometry, location, orientation, bridge properties, environment and placement of any asphalt overlay. Imprecise thermal analysis of bridges has led to severe cracking and deterioration or even failure of structures (Priestley 1978; Moorty and Roeder 1990). To address these observed serviceability issues, engineers have at times, reduced the number of joints and designed monolithic, cast-in-place structures such as integral-abutment bridges. While eliminating the joints solves some serviceability problems, the thermal movement of these bridge types are restrained therefore proper detailing for the induced stresses are essential.Several theoretical relationships based on one and two dimensional heat flow theory, solar radiation levels and daily air temperature distribution have been proposed to predict the changes in the nonlinear temperature distribution over a typical bridge cross section. Although the exact procedures for these proposed relationships vary, the consistent objective is to obtain a better estimate of the temperature profile and resulting stress distribution (Roeder 2003). Thepchatri and Johnson (1978) proposed a method to quantify temperature effects for various types of highway bridge cross sections including different environmental conditions by using finite-element analyses that incorporated heat flow and thermal relationships. The researchers validated their proposed methodology with measured data. Priestley et al. (1984) developed a thermal design procedure based on research conducted in New Zealand. The overall design philosophy consisted of three steps. First, the engineer obtained the predicted critical design gradient based on known local ambient characteristics. Second, a calculation of the corresponding stress levels based on simple statics induced in the bridge superstructure by the design thermal gradient was performed. Third, the influence of the thermally induced stresses for serviceability and ultimate load states was quantified. This procedure served as a basis for the development of the thermal design gradient that was eventually adopted in several design procedures. Roeder (2003) proposed an alternative procedure to Priestley’s Method for determining bridge design temperatures and thermal movements. For this research, 1,273 temperature measurements with an average time history of 70.7 years taken from different locations throughout the United States were utilized. This diverse data set resulted in the creation of bridge temperature design maps for initially steel girder bridges and subsequentally concrete girder bridges throughout the continental 48 states. The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials Load and Factor Design (AASHTO LRFD) Specifications adopted this method in 2005. Other studies that have quantified the temperature effects on bridges include Emerson (1982), Branco and Mende (1993), Newhouse et al. (2008), Lee (2012) and Cai et al. (2012). The research that has been performed is all based on limited sensor readings in the deck where the temperature gradient is the most severe. This research will result in a high-density array of data that not only quantifies changes in temperature vertically by also transversely across the bridge width. KW - Bridge design KW - Concrete bridges KW - Cracking KW - Girder bridges KW - Load and resistance factor design KW - Prestressed concrete KW - Temperature KW - Temperature gradients KW - Thermal conductivity UR - http://www.mountain-plains.org/research/projects/downloads/2015-mpc-478.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1372678 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01579594 TI - Characterizing the Ductility of Portland Cement Stabilized Soil AB - Portland cement, lime, and fly-ash stabilized soils are often used as base materials in pavement. The ductility of these materials has a large impact on the performance and life of the pavement. Increasing the ductility of these materials, without decreasing the stiffness will result in materials that will experience less degradation over time, resulting in better performance and longer life. However, unlike bitumen cemented materials (D113-07), there is not currently any method to characterize the ductility of Portland cement, lime, or fly-ash cemented materials (Portland Cement Association, 1992), (NCHRP, 1976). Cementitious materials such as soil-cement and plastic concrete are also used for groundwater cutoffs and excavation support in many transportation applications as well as dam and levee mitigation. Material ductility is also important in many of these applications to deal with post-construction deformation of these structures (Kahl et. al, 1991), (Rice and Duncan, 2010). The first step to evaluating the effect of ductility in cemented base is to have a measure of ductility. Ductility and brittleness in cementitious materials is controlled by the presence or absence of cracks or fissures during straining. Cracks, micro-cracks and fissures also have a large effect on other easy to measure engineering properties. Two of these properties are damping and permeability. A ductility index can be developed by measuring changes in damping or permeability with strain. With an easy to measure and replicate ductility index, comparisons can be made between the ductility of different materials, and the effect of ductility on long-term behavior can be studied. KW - Base course (Pavements) KW - Deformation KW - Ductility KW - Ductility tests KW - Permeability KW - Portland cement KW - Service life KW - Soil stabilization UR - http://www.mountain-plains.org/research/projects/downloads/2015-mpc-477.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1372677 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01579593 TI - Highway-Rail Grade Crossing Traffic Hazard Forecasting Model AB - Highway-rail grade crossing safety (and the prevention of accidents) is a priority in terms of both highway and railroad safety. Highway-rail crossing accidents often cause severe impacts in terms of fatalities, personal injuries and property damage. The damage cost and disruption to both roads and railroads are often significant (Evans, A.W., 2011; Salmon, Paul M., 2013). In 2014, there were 1,873 crashes reported at highway-rail crossings across the U.S., and those accidents resulted 239 deaths and 703 injuries (Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), 2015). Concerns about crashes at highway-rail crossings have increased for different agencies because it is commonly agreed that both highway and rail traffic levels increase the occurrence and severity of accidents (Hu, Shou-Ren, Li, Chin-Shang, and Chi- Kang Lee, 2010; Austin, Ross D, and Jodi L. Carson, 2002). In results, increasing highway and rail traffic poses a greater risk of crashes at those crossings (Zhang, Yunlong, Xie, Yuanchang, and Linhua Li. 2012). There are many studies in the academic literature focusing on highway-rail crossing accidents. Most of those studies focus on accident severity prediction, accident/severity influencing factors identifications, countermeasures and their effectiveness (Konur, Dincer, Golias, Mihalis M., and Brandon Darks, 2013; Oh, Jutaek, Washington, Simon P., and Doohee Nam, 2006; Ogden, Brent D. and et al. 2007; Eluru Naveen and et al, 2012). All of these studies shed light on understanding highway rail crossings (HRC) accidents and provide foundation support for resource allocation for upgrading HRCs safety performance which is critical for the ultimate goal of “zero tolerance” for rail-related accidents/incidents established by FRA. Surprisingly little research has been conducted focusing on resource allocation for HRCs safety improvement, despite the importance of the issue (Konur, Dincer, Golias, Mihalis M., and Brandon Darks 2013). Moreover, the studies that focused on the issue often assumed future traffic is greater than current traffic with a certain type of growth rate. However, the detailed traffic at HRCs can fluctuate. Thus, better traffic forecasts need to be implemented in HRC safety upgrade planning. Truck and train traffic are both increasing rapidly at many highway-railroad grade crossings in North Dakota. Much of this traffic is comprised of hazardous materials, including chemicals, fertilizers, crude oil, and other industrial products. The varying and often unpredictable pace of traffic growth poses issues for transportation planning. The number of wells in western North Dakota is predicted to increase five- to seven-fold during the next two decades. As a result, many grade crossings now experiencing modest traffic growth may experience much higher traffic levels in the future. Conversely, traffic may fluctuate and actually drop at some crossings, as drilling activities peak and shift to other parts of the region. Because of fluctuations and shifts in economic activities and traffic demands, trend analysis based on historical traffic counts at grade crossings may not yield valid results. A forecasting model is needed to identify impacted grade crossings in the future—especially those crossings where risks attributable to traffic levels may change dramatically. These forecasts are necessary to understand the scope of the problems that lie ahead. KW - Countermeasures KW - Crash severity KW - Fatalities KW - Forecasting KW - North Dakota KW - Railroad grade crossings KW - Traffic counts KW - Transportation safety UR - http://www.mountain-plains.org/research/projects/downloads/2015-mpc-476.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1372676 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01579592 TI - Analysis of the Relationship of Roadside Inspections on Large Truck Crashes AB - About 3,341 large truck related fatal crashes happened in United States in 2011 and more than 3,700 people died, which counted for more than 11% of all motor vehicle fatal crashes and fatalities, even though large trucks only accounted for 4% of registered vehicles and 9% of vehicle-miles traveled (VMT) (USDOT, 2013). Large truck VMT decreased 6.7% from 2010 to 2011 however, large truck related fatal crashes still increased 2% from 2010 to 2011 (USDOT, 2013). To reduce serious accidents involving these vehicles, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) [formerly the Federal Highway Administration Office of Motor Carriers] provides support for states to perform roadside inspections of commercial vehicles (large trucks, commercial buses, and hazardous materials vehicles) and drivers, compliance reviews and other safety programs (GAO, 1997). On-site reviews of motor carriers’ compliance with federal safety regulation are known as compliance reviews, which can be used to determine a safety fitness rating. The safety rating is used to determine how well each carrier is fit to operate safely on the nation’s highway. Roadside inspections occur on a particular driver or vehicle, most often when the driver/vehicle is en route to their destination. Violations found during the inspection can be divided into two groups: 1) minor and 2) out-of-service (OOS). Minor means those violations do not pose any immediate danger and the driver/vehicle can return on the road even before the violations are fixed. Out-of- service violations are those that require the vehicle/driver violations to be fixed immediately before it can return back to service. The purpose of the OOS is to ensure that a vehicle and/or its driver are not allowed to proceed back on the road until the conditions are safe. In return, it can decrease accident rates caused by mechanical defects. (Randhawa, Miller, Bell and Montagne, 1998). Even though, some researchers found that there are some problems such as an officer can’t always remain at the site to make sure the violation is corrected (Patten, 1989), great numbers of researchers still found that the roadside inspection is a useful tool to remove some potential unsafe vehicles from the highway and reduces commercial vehicle accident rate. (Patten, 1989; GAO, 1997; Mitchell, Friswell, and Mooren, 2012; Schoor, Niekerk, and Grobbelaar, 2001; Randhawa, Miller, Bell and Montagne, 1998; Hall, and Intihar, 1997). Previous researchers shed light for helping to better understand the relationships among the commercial vehicle safety performance, roadside inspection data, and motor carrier’s position (Lantz, B.M. 1993; Britto, R.A., Corsi, T.M., and Grimm, C.M., 2010), however, many of such research are out dated. Moreover, very few previous researchers focus on small motor carriers. There is need to revisit investigating the relationship among motor carrier’s position (such as size, and financial status), safety performance, and roadside inspection data. This research will provide additional evidence on such relationships especially for various sized motor carriers. In addition, the trend in the relationships will be provided by comparing the most up-to-date analysis with previous ones. KW - Commercial vehicles KW - Crash rates KW - Fatalities KW - Highway safety KW - Inspection stations KW - Motor Carrier Management Information System KW - United States KW - Vehicle miles of travel UR - http://www.mountain-plains.org/research/projects/downloads/2015-mpc-475.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1372675 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01579591 TI - Highway Safety Manual Part D: Validation and Application in Wyoming AB - Transportation Engineering is a relatively old branch of engineering whose importance has been stressed by the engineering community for some period of time. Traffic safety, however, is relatively a new field and its emphasis has been growing since epidemic nature of roadway fatalities has been discovered in the last decade. American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), after ten years of research have finally published their first edition of Highway Safety Manual (HSM) in 2010.The Highway Safety Manual (HSM) is a result of extensive work spearheaded by the Transportation Research Board (TRB) committee on Highway Safety Performance. This is a well-received development as it bridges the gap between research and practice. The HSM is considered as the sole national resource for quantitative information about traffic accident analysis and evaluation with a main focus of reducing crash frequency and severity. Equally useful is the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Guide to Developing Quality Crash Modification Factors (CMFs). Crash Modification Factors or Functions are defined as a quantitative measure of the safety effectiveness of a particular treatment or design element. The HSM includes CMFs for treatments applied to five different categories; 1) roadway segments (e.g., alignment, roadside elements, rumble strips, etc.) 2) intersections (e.g., geometry, and control), 3) interchanges, 4) special facilities (e.g., highway-rail crossing), and 5) road networks. It is worth mentioning that the CMFs provided in the HSM were calibrated using data from various states with different driver population, traffic laws, crash reporting thresholds, and weather and roadway conditions. Thus, a validation of the applicability of the HSM Part-D in Wyoming is essential. This research proposal is a first step toward the adaptation of the Highway Safety Manual to Wyoming conditions. The HSM has been a hot research topic since its publication. Researchers are keen to work on the application of the HSM in different states. States like Florida (Ahmed et al., 2015; Ahmed and Abdel-Aty, 2015; Abdel-Aty et al., 2014), Utah (Brimley et al., 2012), Kansas (Howard and Steven, 2012), Oregon (Zhou and Dixon, 2012) and etc., have already worked on calibrations and modifications of the Crash Modification Factors in the HSM on their own roadways. Although other states have calibrated their own CMFs, it was clearly found that the HSM in its current format will not be suitable to adopt in Wyoming. KW - Crash data KW - Fatalities KW - Florida KW - Highway design KW - Highway Safety Manual KW - Interchanges and intersections KW - Oregon KW - Traffic crashes KW - Traffic safety KW - Utah KW - Wyoming UR - http://www.mountain-plains.org/research/projects/downloads/2015-mpc-474.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1372674 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01579590 TI - Bicycle and Pedestrian Design for Rural Communities AB - Transportation facility design is undergoing major changes across the United States as agencies struggle with finding the balance between providing for mobility and livability in their roadway design. While the American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials (AASHTO) has long been the provider of guidance and standards for roadway design in this country (AASHTO, 2014; 2012; 2011; 2004a; 2004b), the National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO) has recently published design guides for urban roadways and bicycle facilities (NACTO, 2012; 2013). AASHTO has responded to the increasing needs for transportation facilities to address livability issues and provide for non-motorized and transit modes have published numerous guides on Context Sensitive Solutions (CSS) (AASHTO, 2004), non-motorized facility design (AASHTO, 2004; 2012) and the recent guide for design on on-street transit facilities (AASHTO, 2014). Still, many believe the emergence of the NACTO design guides as a direct response to perceived deficiencies in the design approach promoted by AASHTO. Regardless of the reasons behind the differences, it leads to a confusing picture of differing guidelines and, some feel, competing design ideologies. Rarely do the AASHTO and NACTO design approaches directly conflict with each, but they can lead to confusion nonetheless. For example, consider lane width guidance. The AASHTO guides suggest 12-foot lanes in most cases but consider 10- or 11-foot lanes may be “acceptable” in low speed urban situations (AASHTO, 2011). NACTO guides, on the other hand, suggest 10 foot lanes and consider 11-foot lanes only acceptable when there are large number of heavy vehicles, and even in those cases the 11-foot lanes should only be provided in the outside lane (NACTO 2012). While these two guides do not directly contradict each other, they are confusing for transportation designers in determining what is “best”. The confusion arising from the different design guides can be compounded in the rural communities where transportation design decisions are typically handled by staff from relatively small engineering and public works departments. These departments often require their engineers to engage in many areas of public infrastructure and may not have an engineer dedicated to transportation issues, let alone staff who are current in the rapidly evolving field of non-motorized transportation design. The AASHTO committee representation is made up of transportation officials who are responsible for the design, operation, and maintenance of state highways. AASHTO maintains a balance between urbanized and rural representation from state officials with regional diversity. NACTO’s 21 member cities area also regionally diverse but are mainly larger cities with populations over 500,000 up to 8 million (NACTO, 2015). The 17 affiliate member cities are smaller but are comprised cities with populations in the 50,000 to 100,000 range. When viewed from the representation angle, the choice between different design approaches is not straight-forward for rural communities. On one hand, AASHTO is primarily focused on highway facilities and may not provide enough flexibility and design options for the livability they desire, while the NACTO guides are primarily focused on large, urban areas that have much different issues than rural communities. The questions for smaller, rural communities are which design guide is best suited for their particular community and, if no single guide meets all their needs, how should the differences between guides be reconciled? Transportation “problems” are often associated with large, heavily populated urban areas in the form of excessive congestion and delay. Because of this, much of the emphasis of transportation design in the last several decades has been on creating capacity and increasing vehicle mobility. Viewed through this lens, it is easy to feel that the rural communities do not face very significant transportation issues. A more modern approach to transportation design, operation, and maintenance now realizes to a greater extent the link between transportation facilities and overall community livability. The concept of livability can be viewed through the six U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) livability principles (USDOT, 2013): (1) Provide more transportation choices to decrease household transportation costs, reduce the dependence on oil, improve air quality and promote public health. (2) Expand location- and energy-efficient housing choices for people of all ages, incomes, races and ethnicities to increase mobility and lower the combined cost of housing and transportation. (3) Improve economic competitiveness of neighborhoods by giving people reliable access to employment centers, educational opportunities, services and other basic needs. (4) Target federal funding toward existing communities – through transit-oriented and land recycling – to revitalize communities, reduce public works costs, and safeguard rural landscapes. (5) Align federal policies and funding to remove barriers to collaboration, leverage funding and increase the effectiveness of programs to plan for future growth. (6) Enhance the unique characteristics of all communities by investing in healthy, safe and walkable neighborhoods, whether rural, urban or suburban. As can be seen from the list above, livability is a broad concept affected by many aspects of a community. For this research, the focus is limited to principles 1 and 6 involving transportation choices and walkable neighborhoods and the inherent connection between transportation and livability. KW - American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials KW - Bicycles KW - Context sensitive design KW - Mode choice KW - Pedestrians KW - Rural transportation KW - Transit oriented development KW - Walkability UR - http://www.mountain-plains.org/research/projects/downloads/2015-mpc-473.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1372673 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01579586 TI - Enhancement of Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide for Roadway Design, Construction and Rehabilitation AB - To account for different variables related to traffic, climate and materials, and their interactions affecting pavement performance, a research effort initiated by the National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) has led to the development of a Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide (MEPDG), documented in NCHRP Report 01-37A (2004). This MEPDG method is being adapted by the Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT) for roadway designs. However, the default input variables recommended in the MEPDG were developed based on national conditions that do not reflect the local Wyoming conditions. Due to potential differences between national and local conditions and the significant influence of input data on the precision of pavement design using the MEPDG, many states have already instituted calibration procedures and developed calibration methods for partial or full calibration of the MEPDG on a local level (Hall 2010). Since the subgrade resilient modulus is an essential parameter for computing stresses and deformations, induced in the pavement structure by applied traffic loads, correlation studies have been conducted to develop methods to estimate the resilient modulus as summarized in Error! Reference source not found. (i.e., Models C to F). However, similar predictive models based on DCP and SPT have not been developed, and they would be a valuable tool for in-situ quantification of the resilient modulus of an existing subgrade material in a road rehabilitation project. Additionally, it is important to quantitatively compare and contrast different predictive models in terms of their respective pavement performance estimations so as to provide transportation agencies, like WYDOT, necessary recommendations for the selection of predictive models that fit a particular application. Also, these data and results can be included into the existing Wyoming Pavement Management System (PMS) to facilitate full implementation of MEPDG in Wyoming. Although the ongoing research provides locally calibrated input parameters for MEPDG pavement design, it is indispensable to evaluate the sensitivity of thickness and modulus of pavement materials on pavement performance predictions. This additional study will help designers and engineers optimizing their pavement designs and facilitating the iterative design process while using MEPDG design software known as DARWin-METM. Although the current state-of-practice is switching towards AASHTOWare Pavement ME Design, DARWin-METM is considered to reflect local design practices. Knowledge from the ongoing research and results from this proposed research should be integrated and presented through a series of trial pavement design examples that systematically articulate the whole pavement design process. The proposed 2-year research serves MEPDG research. This proposed research will enhance the pavement design procedure and efficiency, overcome shortcomings of the ongoing research, and expedite the full implementation of locally calibrated MEPDG in Wyoming. KW - DARWin-ME (Computer program) KW - Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide KW - Pavement design KW - Pavement management systems KW - Pavement performance KW - Rehabilitation (Maintenance) KW - Subgrade (Pavements) KW - Traffic loads KW - Wyoming UR - http://www.mountain-plains.org/research/projects/downloads/2015-mpc-471.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1372667 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01578493 TI - Evaluating Transportation Professional Development and Continuing Education Courses AB - Each year, upwards of 18 million dollars is collectively spent by state and tribal departments of transportation on continuing education and professional development courses for the county and local governments in their jurisdictions. These courses are meant to provide training for new employees as well as provide long-term employees with an opportunity to update their knowledge on current regulations and best practices. Furthermore, many organizations use this continuing professional education as a way for employees to advance given that many of the targeted employees do not have more than a high school education. It is important for this training to be accessible and have an immediate impact on the participant’s ability to complete the essential functions of their job. Currently, these courses are evaluated based upon customer satisfaction. Participants are asked to complete exit surveys based on their initial response to the training including whether or not they liked the course and whether or not they feel the information that was presented can help them in their job. Current evaluations do not tie responses to the actual objectives of the trainings or follow up with participants to see if/how the information presented in the training is/was used in the course of the participants’ job. Oftentimes, this leads to courses that are seen as nothing more than a hoop to jump through to advance one’s career with little to no long-term retention necessary. If the goal of continuing education is to provide opportunities for employees to keep up to date with appropriate technologies and regulations encountered in the course of their jobs, it is necessary to provide training opportunities that facilitate this end. Strong course evaluation instruments are necessary to ensure that training courses are meeting the stated objectives and participants feel like they are provided with information that may help them better complete their job functions. Furthermore, results from research based course evaluation instruments will help instructor’s better plan training opportunities that more closely tie course objectives to course outcomes. KW - Accessibility KW - Continuing education KW - Customer satisfaction KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Professional employment KW - Training programs KW - Tribal government UR - http://www.mountain-plains.org/research/projects/downloads/2014-mpc-470.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1372652 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01532638 TI - Development of Performance Matrices for Evaluating Innovative Intersections and Interchanges AB - Innovative (alternative, unconventional) intersections and interchanges are generally defined as design concepts that are able to reduce the number of signal phases and conflicts at the main intersection/interchange, thereby increasing the efficiency, capacity and safety of the signalized intersection. In most cases, this is accomplished by rerouting left turns at a point well ahead of the main intersection/interchange, or accomplishing left turns through a combination of through, right and U-turn movements. These designs are regarded to be "unconventional" because they incorporate geometric features or movement restrictions that would be permissible at standard intersections/interchanges. Such elements include the elimination and/or relocation of various through and turning maneuvers, the use of indirect turning movements, and the inclusion of roundabout designs. Innovative intersections and interchanges, primarily Continuous Flow Intersection (CFI) and Diverging Diamond Interchange (DDI), have seen an increase in numbers in the United States over the past several years, especially in Utah, making Utah a leader in the country in implementation of these designs. Although on the surface these designs seem to improve traffic performance, their complete impacts and benefits are hard to assess. There are still no clearly defined guidelines and methodologies for monitoring and measuring performance of these designs from state departments of transportation (DOTs) manuals, American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), Highway Capacity Manual (HCM), National Emergency Management Association (NEMA) and Highway Safety Manual (HSM). Innovative designs have impacts on safety, accessibility, transit, pedestrian and non-motorized traffic, land use, economic development, and environment, making them an excellent candidate for an in-depth analysis of different benefit-impact combinations. There is not a defined straightforward way for this analysis. Researchers and practitioners have recognized that there are gaps when it comes to innovative solutions, so it can be expected that research in this area will increase in the next several years. The primary objective of this research project is to develop a set of performance matrices for evaluation of innovative intersection designs, from operational, safety, accessibility, transit, pedestrian, non motorized traffic, land use, economic development, and environmental standpoints. The methodology will be based on a set of algorithms implemented in an underlying computational engine (i.e. Excel-based program), which will generate performance matrices based on the given geometric, traffic, transit and land use data. KW - Diamond interchanges KW - Highway capacity KW - Highway design KW - Highway safety KW - Innovation KW - Performance measurement KW - Roundabouts KW - Signalized intersections KW - Traffic flow KW - Turning traffic UR - http://www.mountain-plains.org/research/projects/downloads/2014-mpc-465.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1318001 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01532637 TI - First and Last Mile Strategies for Transit Systems AB - The objectives of this project are to develop recommendations for a comprehensive first and last mile strategy around major transit stations and fixed route stops including existing bus rapid transit (BRT) Provo and Orem light rail and commuter rail stations within the Utah Transit Authority (UTA) system in an effort to reduce auto usage and increase ridership as a means of improving air quality and reducing congestion. KW - Air quality management KW - Bus rapid transit KW - Intermodal terminals KW - Light rail transit KW - Rail transit stations KW - Railroad commuter service KW - Strategic planning KW - Traffic congestion KW - Utah UR - http://www.mountain-plains.org/research/projects/downloads/2014-mpc-466.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1318000 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01532636 TI - Self-Regulation and Distraction AB - Experimental studies using driving simulators or instrumented vehicles have produced strikingly different estimates of driving impairment and crash risk than the correlation-based naturalistic studies of driving. However, an important limitation of both of these approaches is that the video equipment and instrumentation in the vehicle (or the driving simulator itself) may alter the behavior of the driver - the Heisenberg Principal, whereby the act of measurement may alter the behavior in question. Epidemiological studies have circumvented this problem by obtaining the cell phone records of drivers involved in a crash with significant property damage or a crash with an injury requiring hospitalization and determining the odds of a crash compared to a control period. The epidemiological studies' estimate of crash risk is comparable with the experimental research. More recently, an observational study of over 56,000 drivers coordinated by the Center for the Prevention of Distracted Driving at the University of Utah verified the detrimental effects of cellular communication on driving outside of the laboratory. This new observational research found that drivers using a cell phone were more than twice as likely to fail to make a legal stop at an intersection (i.e., the odds ratio of failing to stop for cell phone drivers was 2.21). KW - Behavior KW - Cellular telephones KW - Crash risk forecasting KW - Distraction KW - Epidemiology KW - Impaired drivers KW - Instrumented vehicles KW - Self reports UR - http://www.mountain-plains.org/research/projects/downloads/2014-mpc-467.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1317999 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01532635 TI - Performance Evaluation of Highway Surface Treatments (Phase I: Short-Term Performance) AB - The objectives of this project are to: (1) evaluate the performance of Open Graded Surface Courses (OGSC), Bonded wearing courses (BWC), Stone Matrix Asphalt (SMA), and Dense Graded courses (DGC) as surface treatments of roads; (2) confirm their differences based on short - term performance; and (3) develop guidelines for their use. At the end of this project, state highway agencies should be able to select the most appropriate surface treatment to ensure longevity and the state of good repair of the infrastructure. KW - Evaluation and assessment KW - Guidelines KW - Pavement performance KW - State departments of transportation KW - Stone matrix asphalt KW - Surface course (Pavements) KW - Surface treating KW - Wearing course (Pavements) UR - http://www.mountain-plains.org/research/projects/downloads/2014-mpc-468.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1317998 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01532634 TI - Improving Efficiency and Reliability of Bus Rapid Transit AB - Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) is an innovative, high capacity, lower cost public transit solution that can significantly improve mobility. It is usually defined as an integrated system with a strong, transit-oriented identity, which consists of running ways (very often exclusive lanes), specially designed rail-like stations, high-capacity low-floor vehicles, improved services, and state-of-the-art Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS). It provides similar quality of service as rail transit, at much lower construction and operational costs to the transit organization, and retains the flexibility of buses. BRT has the potential to significantly improve efficiency and reliability of public transit, which leads to an increase in the ridership. Certain operational strategies significantly help BRT in improving travel times, speeds and headway adherence, with the most beneficial seen from the implementation of Transit Signal Priority (TSP) and off-board fare collection. ITS technologies, such as Global Positioning System (GPS) tracking devices, Automated Passenger Counters (APC), Ticket Vending Machines (TVM), advanced detection systems, signal performance monitoring systems etc., are now widely used by transit and State Department of Transportation (DOT) agencies. These systems, by providing performance-related data, can be used to further improve the efficiency and reliability of these BRT systems. This research will focus on the evaluation and analysis of two operational strategies for improving the efficiency and reliability of BRT system: TSP and fare collection methods. The study will review different TSP systems (conventional detection vs. GPS, conditional active TSP considering ridership and schedule/headway adherence, and adaptive TSP considering a wide range of traffic and transit operations), and fare collection methods being used (prepaid, tickets sold by the driver, off-board TVMs, on-board TVMs), and quantitative analysis will be performed based on field and simulated data to evaluate the effectiveness of various strategies. The study will be on the basis of Utah Transit Authority (UTA) BRT system, however, the research result is quite transferable to other BRT in the metropolitan areas with similar system design and can serve as a reference for transit planners and engineers on the national level. KW - Bus lanes KW - Bus rapid transit KW - Intelligent transportation systems KW - Low floor vehicles KW - Mobility KW - Passenger counting KW - Ticket vending machines KW - Traffic signal priority UR - http://www.mountain-plains.org/research/projects/downloads/2014-mpc-469.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1317997 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01528069 TI - A Modified Approach for Predicting Fracture of Steel Components under Combined Large Inelastic Axial and Shear Strain Cycles AB - Steel bridges are considered to have a superior performance under earthquakes when compared to their reinforced concrete counterpart. Such reputation stems from the fact that few steel bridges have been subjected to strong ground motion in the last decade in North America. In addition to the lack of seismic exposure of the bridges, research on the seismic performance of steel bridges' superstructure is limited to few studies. Under very large inelastic strain cycles, the bridge components could fail and threaten the integrity of the bridge. Materials undergoing very large strain can only withstand a small number of reverse loading cycles, which is termed ultra - low cycle fatigue (ULCF). The stress range in High Cycle Fatigue (HCF) characterizes the behavior when the material is subjected to stress level below the yield stress. Under the HSF mechanism, small strain increment will result in relatively larger change in stress and therefore, it is appropriate to describe the behavior using the Stress - Number of cycles approach. Conventional Low Cycle Fatigue (LCF) is used to characterize the response when the stress range close to or slightly beyond the yield point; therefore the Strain - Number of cycles curve might more applicable in this case. The Manson - Coffin equation describing the LCF behavior is currently the most popular and acceptable among different model. The objectives of the project are to: (1) collect experimental data on the fatigue response of CFRP - repaired RC girders under various service temperatures.; (2) develop finite element models for fatigue life predictions of the girders.; and (3) recommend best repair practice for increasing the fatigue life of the repaired girders. KW - Axial loads KW - Bridge members KW - Fatigue (Mechanics) KW - Fracture properties KW - Inelastic stress KW - Service life KW - Shear strain KW - Steel bridges UR - http://www.mountain-plains.org/research/projects/downloads/2014-mpc-446.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1312367 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01528068 TI - Post-Fire Ground Treatments for Protection of Critical Transportation Structures AB - The following objectives will be completed as part of the proposed project: (1) evaluate effects of fire on soil composition, soil shear strength, and moisture retention; (2) evaluate the efficacy of post - fire ground treatments on mitigating erosion and runoff; (3) evaluate the effects of percent ground cover, slope angle, and rainfall intensity on erosion and runoff; and (4) develop preliminary guidelines for post -fire feasibility assessments focused on ground treatment applications to prevent loss of or damage to critical transportation components. These research objectives will be completed via a coupled experimental and numerical research program. Objectives 1 and 2 will include laboratory experiments to understand the mechanisms of post - fire ground treatments that contribute to soil stabilization and obtain physical data necessary for calibration of numerical models. Objective 3 will be completed using discrete element models such that different combinations of variables affecting ground treatment performance can be evaluated (i.e., percent ground cover, slope angle, and rainfall intensity). The combined experimental and numerical research will be used to develop emergency stabilization recommendations in Objective 4. KW - Erosion KW - Fire KW - Ground cover KW - Infrastructure KW - Runoff KW - Shear strength KW - Slopes KW - Soil stabilization UR - http://www.mountain-plains.org/research/projects/downloads/2014-mpc-447.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1312366 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01528067 TI - Reducing Flood Vulnerability of Communities with Limited Road Access by Optimizing Bridge Elevation AB - The collapse of several key road bridges by flood waters can result in the isolation of an entire community when these structures are located at key, or critical points or junctures. This scenario was dramatically illustrated by the deadly 2013 floods in Colorado, which affected the counties of Larimer, Weld and Boulder among others. Residents of Drake, a community near Estes Park, had no exit routes and had to be evacuated by helicopter. Other towns and communities in the area were left with few or no routes for delivering help or exiting the site. The current approach for determining the elevation of a road bridge over waters at flood stage considers the location of the structure in isolation. The importance of the structure relative to the entire network for accessing the served community is not formally considered as a design criterion and bridge elevations are typically determined for the same flood recurrence. However, the failure of a bridge in a locality with few or no access alternatives carries significantly more negative consequences than the failure of another bridge that can be bypassed. This approach results in an uneven vulnerability of many road systems in the protection offered to their served communities. This research project will provide a prototype tool for the determination of the appropriate elevation of bridges in a road network serving a community with access compromised by a flood event. A holistic and systematic determination of safe elevations will help decision makers to prioritize resources for road bridge retrofitting, as well as designers in the engineering of these structures. This will be a reliability - based approach that accounts for the consequences of bridge failure rather than just the structural reliability. KW - Accessibility KW - Air ambulances KW - Base flood elevation KW - Bridges KW - Collapse KW - Colorado KW - Evacuation KW - Flood damage KW - Floods KW - Holistic approach UR - http://www.mountain-plains.org/research/projects/downloads/2014-mpc-448.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1312365 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01528066 TI - Determining the Uncertainty in the Current Condition of Bridges for Use in Risk Based Inspection and Management AB - The goal of this project is provide descriptions of uncertainty in structural condition that can be used to improve the timing of bridge inspections and bridge management practice in a risk or performance based framework. In order to achieve this goal, this project will pursue the following objectives: (1) identify all significant sources of uncertainty that are present in our knowledge of an existing bridge and affect understanding of bridge condition and performance; (2) quantify the effect of these sources individually using literature review and parametric studies; (3) investigate ways to combine the various sources of uncertainty into an overall level of uncertainty for a given structure; and (4) provide a simple demonstration of how this definition of uncertainty in bridge condition can be implemented in a framework for risk and performance based inspection planning. Attempting to achieve objectives 2 - 4 for all bridge types would imply a very large project scope, thus based on the quantity and quality of information that can be collected for different types of bridges, a narrow range of structural types will be selected for detailed study. At this point the project anticipates selecting slab and girder bridges with RC deck slabs and steel, reinforced concrete (RC) or precast girders. KW - Bridge decks KW - Condition surveys KW - Girder bridges KW - Inspection KW - Reinforced concrete bridges KW - Risk assessment KW - Structural analysis KW - Uncertainty UR - http://www.mountain-plains.org/research/projects/downloads/2014-mpc-449.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1312364 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01528064 TI - Assessing the Cost-Effectiveness of Wyoming's CMAQ Unpaved Road Dust Suppression Program AB - The objective of this study is to quantify the benefits of the use of congestion mitigation and air quality (CMAQ) funds to provide Wyoming counties with funding to apply dust suppressants to their unpaved roads. There are several benefits from the use of dust suppressants. There is the environmental benefit of reduced fugitive dust emissions from unpaved roads. Maintenance costs are generally reduced on treated roads since maintenance isn't needed as often and gravel isn't lost as quickly so it doesn't need to be replaced as often. Finally, treated roads generally provide the user with a higher quality road surface with less raveling, loose aggregate and washboards, all of which can contribute to a loss of vehicle control. Both these improvements in road surface quality and the improved visibility that arises from reductions in dust make unpaved roads safer when they are treated. The goal of this project is to determine the value of the reductions in fugitive dust emissions which are realized by using different dust suppressants and application methods in different situations. By determining the benefits realized in different situations, the results of this study will allow for cost - effective allocation of CMAQ funds in the future. On a broader scale, this study will provide information that will allow for more cost-effective use of road dust suppressants in general. KW - Air quality KW - Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program KW - Cost effectiveness KW - Dust control KW - Highway maintenance KW - Pollutants KW - Stripping (Pavements) KW - Unpaved roads KW - Visibility KW - Wyoming UR - http://www.mountain-plains.org/research/projects/downloads/2014-mpc-451.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1312362 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01528063 TI - Updating the Highway Safety Manual 2010 - Part C: Regional Consideration of the Rocky Mountains and Plain Regions AB - The main objectives of this research project are to: (1) identify limitations and possible improvements of the implementation of the first edition of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Official's (AASHTO's) Highway Safety Manual (HSM) for the Rocky Mountains and Plain Regions; (2) calibrate Safety Performance Functions (SPF) by severity level and crash type for rural roadways taking into consideration the regional effect of low traffic volumes, roadway geometry, crash reporting thresholds and forms, weather conditions, driver population, and the increase in energy related activities.; (3) provide a description of the statistical and practical advantages and disadvantages of the methodology developed in the research and potential barriers to implementation; and to provide guidelines and recommendations for future research. KW - American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials KW - Calibration KW - Crash reports KW - Crash severity KW - Guidelines KW - Highway safety KW - Highway Safety Manual KW - Regional transportation KW - Rocky Mountain States KW - Traffic crashes UR - http://www.mountain-plains.org/research/projects/downloads/2014-mpc-452.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1312361 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01528062 TI - Speed Selection Behavior during Winter Road Conditions AB - The research proposed addresses the knowledge gap in defining the relationship between weather conditions, traffic speed, and driver behavior during adverse winter weather conditions in order to improve the effectiveness of weather responsive traffic management strategies. In particular, the research will be used to provide guidance on selecting target speed compliance and speed variation rates to define success for a weather responsive traffic management strategies. KW - Behavior KW - Driver performance KW - Highway traffic control KW - Snow and ice control KW - Traffic safety KW - Traffic speed KW - Weather conditions KW - Winter UR - http://www.mountain-plains.org/research/projects/downloads/2014-mpc-453.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1312360 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01528061 TI - Regional Implementation of Tribal Transportation Safety Program AB - This program will be a one year on-going effort to implement a comprehensive roadway safety program on reservations throughout the Mountain Plains region. The five-step methodology implemented on the Wind River Indian reservation will be applied on other reservations. Assistance will be given to these Tribes to develop a strategic highway safety plan. In coordination of this, livability issues can be better defined and projects identified that meet the need of the individual Tribes. KW - Highway safety KW - Implementation KW - Indian reservations KW - Quality of life KW - Regional transportation KW - Rocky Mountain States KW - Safety programs KW - Strategic planning UR - http://www.mountain-plains.org/research/projects/downloads/2014-mpc-454.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1312359 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01528060 TI - Why Are Bike-Friendly Cities Safer for All Road Users? AB - The objectives of this project will be to: (1) identify the influence of socio-demographic and socioeconomic changes in cities experiencing a concurrent increase in bicycling and improvement road safety; (2) characterize the influence of built environment changes in these cities; (3) investigate the relationship between evolving travel behaviors and overall road safety; (4) explore potentially novel sources of citywide travel speed data and pilot a study looking at the potential for systematic differences in travel speed with respect to road safety outcomes; (5) advance knowledge by carrying out analyses to answer research questions 1-4; (6) advance policy and practice by identifying important explanatory variables with respect to building safer cities; (7) advance education through the training of students; and (8) build an evidence base on a novel topic by share findings through publications, presentations, and a project website. KW - Bicycle travel KW - Cities KW - Cyclists KW - Highway safety KW - Information dissemination KW - Policy analysis KW - Safety education KW - Speed data KW - Travel behavior UR - http://www.mountain-plains.org/research/projects/downloads/2014-mpc-455.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1312358 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01528059 TI - Performance of Steel Girders Repaired with Advanced Composite Sheets in a Corrosive Environment: A Multi-Physics Approach Leading to Practical Design Recommendations AB - The objectives of this research project are to: (1) understand the mechanism of corrosion progression in carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) repaired steel bridge girders exposed to a corrosive service environment; (2) examine the effect of corrosion damage on the performance of repaired steel girders in terms of load-carrying capacity and ductility as well as CFRP-steel interfacial behavior; and (3) develop practical design guidelines for bridge engineers who are interested in repairing in-situ bridge girders with CFRP materials. KW - Bearing capacity KW - Carbon fibers KW - Corrosion KW - Fiber reinforced polymers KW - Girder bridges KW - Sheets KW - Steel bridges UR - http://www.mountain-plains.org/research/projects/downloads/2014-mpc-456.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1312357 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01528057 TI - Application of a Multi-agent System with the Large-scale Agent-based Model for Freight Demand Modeling AB - Statewide freight demand modeling is important in North Dakota to support agricultural logistics and energy development due to the recent oil boom and the long-term importance of the agricultural industry. The objective of this project is to: (1) review state-of-art agent-based modeling in transportation; (2) develop an survey instrument; (3) determine agents travel behavior in rural and small urban freight movement; (4) design a multi-agent system; (4) apply the agent's travel behavior to statewide freight demand modeling; and (5) develop scenarios to improve safety and sustainability throughout the rural highway network. KW - Agricultural products KW - Demand KW - Freight demand modeling KW - Freight traffic KW - Logistics KW - Multi-agent systems KW - North Dakota KW - Oil booms KW - State of the art KW - Travel behavior UR - http://www.mountain-plains.org/research/projects/downloads/2014-mpc-458.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1312355 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01528056 TI - Comparison between 1993 AASHTO Pavement Design Guide and Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide with North Dakota Case Study AB - The rapid growth of heavy truck traffic in the oil-impacted western counties of North Dakota poses unique challenges to the highway infrastructure of a historically low-volume rural region. Repeated heavy loads, combined with areas of weak subgrade and freeze-thaw cycles, have caused many roads to fail long before their intended design life (Governing, 2011). Oilfield pavement analyses conducted thus far have utilized the empirical design methods outlined in the 1993 American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Guide for Design of Pavement Structures, based on the AASHO Road Test of the late 1950's. While the AASHTO 1993 Guide has proven an important tool for several decades, its empirical approach limits its effectiveness as a modern pavement design method. Fully understanding the performance and reliability of the new design guide is important for agencies wanting to use it. Moreover, understanding the design differences between the current design guide and the newer Mechanistic Empirical Design Guide (MEPDG) is critical for agencies interested in making the switch. The primary objective of this project is to provide a critical comparison of performance predictions for pavement designed using the 1993 AASHTO Guide against pavements designed using the new design guide, in order to better assist North Dakota agencies in making the decision whether to switch to MEPDG. KW - Freeze thaw durability KW - Guidelines KW - Heavy duty trucks KW - Low volume roads KW - Mechanistic-empirical pavement design KW - North Dakota KW - Oil booms KW - Pavement design KW - Pavement performance KW - Rural areas KW - Service life UR - http://www.mountain-plains.org/research/projects/downloads/2014-mpc-459.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1312354 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01528055 TI - Technology and Workforce Development for Remote Sensing of the Transportation Infrastructure AB - The primary goal of this study is to assess and develop means of optimizing hyperspectral remote sensing for use with lightweight (less than 50 pounds) unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) and to provide the relevant training necessary for future practitioners to construct and deploy full solutions. A secondary objective will be to investigate the use of ground or vehicle based hyperspectral systems. A variety of knowledge domain experts in signal processing, image analysis, data mining, data management, geospatial analysis, optics, rules-based engines, cloud computing and mobile computing are needed to implement complete solutions. Effective implementations will generally merge cross-disciplinary expertise to analyze the fusion of data from a variety of sources to quantify performance and assess risks, threats, and vulnerabilities in the transportation system (Bridgelall 2014). The transformation of remote sensing data into actionable information requires forms of signal processing and data analysis that are still evolving and/or not yet fully understood. The associated decision-support platforms and asset management systems rely on tailoring multidisciplinary aspects of the full solution to remote sensing applications for maximum effectiveness in realizing their potential benefits while reducing the complexity of human interfaces. Educators have placed little, if any, attention on inventorying the skill sets and workforce availability for personnel who can process and derive actionable information from these data sources. To achieve this goal, the team will execute the following objectives: (1) conduct a utility study to catalog current practices and high-priority emerging opportunities for hyperspectral sensing; (2) identify emerging and related sensor technologies for inclusion in future transportation infrastructure needs assessments; and (3) formulate means that Midwest-Plains Consortium (MPC) members can utilize to build upon their existing curricula and ensure a properly trained workforce with relevant skills and understanding within those domains. KW - Asset management KW - Cloud computing KW - Data mining KW - Drone aircraft KW - Image analysis KW - Mobile computing KW - Remote sensing KW - Risk assessment KW - Signal processing KW - Technological innovations UR - http://www.mountain-plains.org/research/projects/downloads/2014-mpc-460.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1312353 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01528054 TI - Analytical Modeling for Progressive Failure Assessment of Curved and Skewed Highway Bridges Subjected to Seismic Hazards AB - Curved and/or skewed bridges are very common on highways across the country. These bridges are more vulnerable to seismic than typical straight ones. The current specifications do not provide enough coverage for the curved and skewed bridges on progressive failure risk. Under the joint impact from post-seismic traffic and partial damage of some members from seismic, the progressive failure risk will increase depending on the intensity of seismic and traffic at the time. It is thus important to evaluate the progressive failure risk of vulnerable curved and skewed bridges immediately after the seismic occurrence. However, such a simulation tool which can enable progressive analysis of curved and skewed bridges subjected to traffic and seismic is not available. This study will develop an analytical framework of modeling progressive failure risk of typical curved and skewed bridges subjected to seismic and traffic. KW - Curved bridges KW - Earthquake resistant design KW - Failure KW - Risk assessment KW - Simulation KW - Skewed structures UR - http://www.mountain-plains.org/research/projects/downloads/2014-mpc-461.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1312352 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01528052 TI - Rehabilitation Project Selection and Scheduling in Transportation Networks AB - Road infrastructure in the United States (US) is aging rapidly as many roads are approaching or exceeding their design life. As a result, transportation agencies need to allocate more resources to maintenance and rehabilitation (M&R) activities. The National Highway System (NHS) spent 48.5 percent of its total capital spending in 2008 in system rehabilitation, the highest percentage since 2000. On the other hand, stringent budgets provide insufficient funding to support all needed M&R projects. Decision makers have to prioritize and select projects based on their tangible benefits to the transportation system. Meanwhile, traffic congestion across the country has been on the rise over the past 30 years by every measure. The problem is further exacerbated by an increasing number of M&R projects performed on already-congested roads. Work zones are estimated to account for nearly 24% of non-recurring delay on freeways. Hence, M&R project selection and scheduling not only are essential to restore and maintain a reasonable level of service on existing roads but also have profound impact on congestion mitigation. The objectives of this project are to: (1) explicitly capture the impacts of the presence of multiple M&R projects on travelers' route choice behavior; and (2) strategically select and schedule M&R projects in a transportation network over a finite planning horizon to maximize social benefit. KW - Infrastructure KW - Level of service KW - Maintenance practices KW - Preventive maintenance KW - Resource allocation KW - Route choice KW - Service life KW - Traffic congestion KW - Travel behavior KW - Traveler information and communication systems KW - Work zones UR - http://www.mountain-plains.org/research/projects/downloads/2014-mpc-463.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1312350 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01528051 TI - Development of Network-Based Measures and Computational Methods for Evaluating the Redundancy of Transportation Networks AB - Natural and man-made disasters encountered in the past decade (e.g., the 9/11 terrorist attacks in 2001, the London Bombing in 2005, Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005, Minneapolis' 35W bridge collapse in 2007, Christchurch, New Zealand's earthquake in February 2011, Japan's devastating earthquake/tsunami in March 2011, and the Superstorm Sandy in 2012) have repeatedly emphasized the importance of transportation networks and the need for government agencies and communities to make this system more resilient. Recently, various conceptual and/or computational frameworks have been proposed to analyze resiliency for a general transportation network resiliency evaluation framework, for a freight system resiliency evaluation framework, and for a general civil infrastructure system. The objectives of this research are twofold: (1) to develop network-based measures for systematically characterizing the redundancy of transportation networks, and (2) to develop computational methods for evaluating the network-based redundancy measures. The proposed research on network redundancy can be considered as a critical component in assessing network resiliency and also designing a more resilient transportation network against disruptions. KW - Computational methods KW - Cooperation KW - Disaster preparedness KW - Disasters and emergency operations KW - Freight transportation KW - Hurricanes KW - Infrastructure KW - Redundancy KW - Resilience (Materials) KW - Service disruption KW - Terrorism UR - http://www.mountain-plains.org/research/projects/downloads/2014-mpc-464.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1312349 ER - TY - RPRT AN - 01519415 AU - Mehta, Yusuf AU - Nolan, Aaron AU - DuBois, Eric AU - Zorn, Sara AU - Batten, Eileen AU - Shirodkar, Prashant AU - Rowan University AU - New Jersey Department of Transportation AU - University Transportation Research Center AU - Federal Highway Administration AU - Research and Innovative Technology Administration TI - Correlation between Multiple Stress Creep Recovery (MSCR) Results and Polymer Modification of Binder PY - 2013/09/30/Final Report SP - 120p AB - Nationwide traffic loads are increasing, pushing conventional asphalt to its limit. In New Jersey matters are made worse by the heavy use of the Northeast Corridor. Polymer modification of asphalt, which can improve both low and high performance, is already available; however, in many cases traditional Superpave testing is not sensitive enough to quantify the impact of modification, dimensioning its use. Elastic Recovery and Forced Ductility, Superpave Performance Grade Plus tests, are sensitive to polymer modification but are time intensive and costly. These obstacles have lead the New Jersey Department of Transportation (DOT) to require styrene-butadiene or styrene-butadiene-styrene to be incorporated in all modified binder to ensure performance, causing supply shortages and rising cost in the state. A relatively new test developed by the Federal Highway Administration, Multiple Stress Creep Compliance (MSCR) offers a simpler procedure using the Dynamic Shear Rheometer (DSR), thus it does not require the expense of purchasing additional testing equipment. The objective of this study is to determine the feasibility of using MSCR as a specification for binder testing. Upon testing a variety of binders it has been determined that MSCR binder testing is sensitive to flow time results. Binders with non-recoverable compliance value (Jnr) of less than 0.5 kPa-1 appear to show better high temperature performance. The MSCR elastic curve requirement appears to be the most stringent of the requirements to evaluate elastic response as compared to elastic recovery at 25ºC and phase angle of 75º. An MSCR recovery at 3.2kPa greater than 40% will ensure that it is above the MSCR elastic recovery curve. This could serve as an alternative specification to the MSCR elastic recovery curve. The guidelines set forth by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) MP 19-10, in which the binders are graded according to traffic (equivalent single axle loads) by using Jnr is recommended. Additionally 1) The New Jersey DOT should use the access database system as a prescreening process for binder selection, alleviating extraneous binder testing and the cost associated with them. 2) New Jersey DOT could eliminate the use of elastic recovery, thus saving almost $15,000 dollars on capital cost of equipment and up to $500 per binder characterization considering labor and depreciation cost. These could lead to considerable savings of thousands of dollars over several years.; 3) Additional testing, including field performance should be conducted on binders with low Jnr (less than 0.5 kPa-1) and with a lower PG-grade, such as PG 64-28 versus PG 64-22. and 4) This can be addressed by closely looking at the Original Dynamic Shear Rheometer (ODSR) result of binders. For example, at 64˚C, if the G*/sin(δ) is below 2.0 kPa, it is unlikely to pass a higher grade and withstand heavy traffic., and 5) Low non-recoverable creep compliance (Jnr < 0.5 kPa-1) coupled with high MSCR recovery at 3.2 kPa (recovery greater than 40%) and G*/sin(δ) high enough to pass the next high grade will ensure that the binder selected will withstand heavy and extreme traffic levels. KW - Binder content KW - Binders KW - Dynamic modulus of elasticity KW - Feasibility analysis KW - Mix design KW - Multiple Stress Creep Recovery KW - New Jersey KW - Pavement performance KW - Polymer asphalt KW - Polymers KW - Rheometers KW - Superpave KW - Test procedures UR - http://www.utrc2.org/sites/default/files/pubs/Final-MSCR-Polymer-Modification.pdf UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1302422 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01503186 TI - Pre-crash Multi-vehicle Experimental Analysis Using a Networked Multiple Driving Simulator Facility AB - To evaluate human performance and resulting crash safety, the University Transportation Center (UTC) will develop a robust simulation facility in which multiple vehicles interact; some of these vehicles will be driven by people, some will be autonomous, and some will be autonomous to varying levels, with people in the driver's seat but disengaged to various levels from the actual driving of the vehicle. Although a single simulator can be used to create scenarios that involve other programmed autonomous, semi-autonomous, and non-autonomous vehicles, it provides only an approximation of the level of unpredictability and uncertainty encountered when multiple human drivers are operating in the same environment--as is the case in real-world driving. The ability to create a virtual driving environment simultaneously accessed by three or more human drivers allows a much closer approximation of reality, with its attendant risks. Therefore, a key enabling first step will be to develop a network of driving simulators that can interoperate to conduct multi-driver tests. The project will leverage three existing simulator facilities at Ohio State University (OSU), University of Wisconsin, Madison (UW), and University of Massachusetts (UMass), all of which are from the same vendor, Realtime Technologies, to design and execute common scenes and scenarios. In addition, the project will purchase desktop simulator units from Realtime Technologies for Indiana University-Purdue University in Indianapolis (IUPUI) and North Carolina A&T State University (NCA&T), so that all five institutions are able to contribute to the experiment designs and access experiment data. The initial selection of safety applications to be evaluated is based on results from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA's) Crash Imminent Test Scenarios and Safety Pilot Model Deployment. The safety applications will include Forward Collision Warning (FCW), Lane Change/Blind Spot Warning (LCW/BSW), Emergency Electric Brake Light Warning (EEBL), and Intersection Movement Assist (IMA). This project will enable testing of drivers with autonomous vehicle systems with an unprecedented capability in multi-driver and multi-vehicle interaction studies. In addition, this project will generate "standard" scenarios that can be shared with the transportation research and education community. KW - Automobile drivers KW - Crash analysis KW - Driving simulators KW - Forward collision warning KW - Human factors in crashes KW - Traffic safety KW - U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration UR - http://citr.osu.edu/CrIS/?page_id=87 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1285236 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01503185 TI - Driver Models for Both Human and Autonomous Vehicles with Different Sensing Technologies and Near-crash Activity AB - This project will develop a multi-agent model with both human drivers and autonomous and semi-autonomous vehicles. The model will build upon successful models used in the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Grand Challenge vehicles, and will also incorporate results from the project experience in automotive industry project. This model takes dynamic inputs about the changing situation and behavior of others, and uses mathematical or symbolic processing to carry out the functions required to simulate the perception, attention, cognition, and control behavior of interest. The project will integrate different component models, including control theory models, decision and judgment models, learning classifier systems, joint human-automation system models, and attention models, to build a comprehensive model needed to make predictions in pre-crash situations, and needed to make quantitative estimates of hypothesized safety improvements.These models will be cross-validated and verified using both the driver simulation experiments in Project 1, Pre-crash Multi-vehicle Experimental Analysis Using a Networked Multiple Driving Simulator Facility and data obtained from driving simulator and field driving experiments. KW - Autonomous vehicle guidance KW - Behavior KW - Computational models KW - Crash causes KW - Human factors KW - Remote sensing KW - Vehicle electronics UR - http://citr.osu.edu/CrIS/?page_id=94 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1285235 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01503184 TI - Cognitive Attention Models for Driver Engagement in Intelligent and Semi-autonomous Vehicles AB - The focus of this project is to improve the state-of-the-art in human cognitive modeling in order to more accurately describe the human-machine interfaces that take place in the pre-crash scenarios. This project develops a cognitive attention model that provides a fundamental understanding and analysis capability for driver attention. In particular, the model will be used to understand how drivers respond to vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) and vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) information cues in pre-crash scenarios. It also addresses how to re-engage a driver who may be partially or completely disengaged from key attention elements while operating a semi-autonomous vehicle. The project seeks to understand driver engagement over a range of human physiological and behavioral factors, including age and drowsiness. As vehicle systems become more autonomous, human drivers engage in other activities and tasks--in other words, drivers disengage from the driving situation. This is especially true of look-ahead functions that support early responses to defuse risky situations, such as taking back vehicle control when entering an area with a high density of pedestrians. It will be especially important to monitor for these situations as vehicle systems become more autonomous. Re-engagement can take many forms, such as alerting/warning, redirecting driver attention to look ahead to developing risk, directing the driver to take charge of some control functions while automation handles others, or reconfiguring automated subsystems. The primary approach the project will pursue is the development and use of a computational model of attention. Computational simulations of attention now exist that can be applied to the re-engagement challenge for driving and added to driving simulators as a new resource. The project has been developing one that is specifically designed to handle situations where multiple sensors and algorithms assess anomalies and risk at multiple temporal and spatial scales. This simulation of attention can be used for design of warnings and automation to facilitate re-engagement. It can also be used as a critical measuring tool to assess the effectiveness of re-engagement under different conditions and with different types of response to pre-crash risk assessment. While the model is general, our focus in the Crash Imminent Safety University Transportation Center (CrIS UTC) is to develop the model as it applies to the pre-crash University Transportation Centers Program time interval; this interval will be longer than the immediate pre-crash interval, because of the importance of modeling attention state before the immediate event, and because the project hypothesizes that early attention-engagement strategies will significantly improve pre-crash safety. KW - Age KW - Automobile drivers KW - Cognition KW - Crash causes KW - Drowsiness KW - Human machine systems KW - Intelligent vehicles KW - Vehicle to infrastructure communications KW - Vehicle to vehicle communications UR - http://citr.osu.edu/CrIS/?page_id=97 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1285234 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01503183 TI - Bioinjury Implications of Pre-crash Safety Modeling and Intervention AB - This project will directly address the University Transportation Center's (UTC's) human physiology strategy. The goal will be to include bioinjury expertise in scenario generation, data collection, and human behavioral models so that research outcome metrics are closely aligned with the goal of improving safety. In particular, the project will investigate whether bioinjury data from a particular crash scenario can suggest particular evasive actions by the driver or the autonomous vehicle to minimize injury. The project hypothesizes that bioinjury data from a particular crash scenario can suggest situations in which the driver should not re-engage and assume control of the vehicle but rather leave the autonomous system in control, because human motor skill or reaction time would be insufficient to mitigate injury. Coupled with human behavioral models developed in Projects 2 and 3, this project will be able to extrapolate situations beyond those for which data currently exist, and to test these extrapolated situations under Project 1. The project will also investigate how bioinjury data can inform the user community--both vehicle designers and vehicle safety policy makers--about the optimum position of the driver and the timing of passive restraints for given crash scenarios. As an example, recent data from airbag injury studies have suggested that the position of the driver's hands on the wheel should be modified to avert arm and wrist fractures when airbags are deployed. This information is expected to inform policy and safety procedures as well. As a second example, increasing vehicle autonomy for crash prevention increases the likelihood that the vehicle is braking hard at the time of impact, placing the driver and passengers in very different positions than those currently being employed in crash testing. The research on both driver behavior and autonomous vehicle behavior is expected to suggest alternative--and more relevant--safety testing procedures. A primary resource for this research will be the crash data available from two national sources. The National Automotive Sampling System (NASS) Crashworthiness Data System (CDS) provides a broad range of data from crashes that occur in the United States. These data, largely based on police reports, focus on passenger vehicle crashes and are used to investigate injury mechanisms. The database may be queried across several relevant variables, including primary direction of impact, object impacted, age and sex of occupants, safety restraints, and resulting injuries. The Crash Injury Research Engineering Network (CIREN) consists of detailed analyses of motor vehicle crashes, including both accident reconstruction and medical injury profiles. CIREN is University Transportation Centers Program more focused on specific crashes in which the occupant received a serious injury. The CIREN network brings together the first responders to the crash, the treating physicians, and a panel of bioinjury experts to examine each injury in detail and to document corresponding injury mechanisms. Similar to NASS CDS, CIREN cases may be searched across several relevant variables. The CIREN database is ideal for comparing bioinjury data across variations in a given crash scenario, such as different passive restraints or different occupant positions. The project will use the NASS CDS to define the most critical injury mechanisms related to each scenario to be considered in the UTC. The project will also examine CIREN to document specific injury outcomes based on variations related to the automobile safety systems and to the driver's position and reaction. These analyses will be used to understand which variations lead to fewer or less severe injuries, providing valuable input to both human behavior influencing strategies and autonomous vehicle control strategies considered in other projects, with the goal of improving pre-crash safety. Information leading to improvements in passive restraint systems and more effective crash test protocols are also expected. KW - Automobile drivers KW - Behavior KW - Crash causes KW - Human factors in crashes KW - Intelligent vehicles KW - National Automotive Sampling System - Crashworthiness Data System KW - United States KW - Vehicle design UR - http://citr.osu.edu/CrIS/?page_id=100 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1285233 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01503182 TI - Pre-Crash Interactions between Pedestrians and Cyclists and Intelligent Vehicles AB - This project investigates how autonomous and semi-autonomous vehicle systems can be configured and improved to accommodate pedestrian and bicycle safety. This project comprises both the modeling track and experimental track components, with a specific focus on pre-crash scenarios involving pedestrians and cyclists. The project proposes to develop a simulation model for the vehicle pedestrian/cyclist crash testing scenarios building upon the Pre-Scan model developed at Indiana University-Purdue University in Indianapolis (IUPUI). The project will validate and modify the simulation models using the University Transportation Center's (UTC's) driving simulator network and vehicle field tests. The project will first consider single vehicles, but extend to scenarios involving two or more vehicles engaging pedestrians and cyclists. One of the most dangerous scenarios for pedestrians is the multiple-threat scenario in which a vehicle approaching a crosswalk cannot see a pedestrian crossing the street because that pedestrian is obscured by another vehicle stopped for the pedestrian. It will be important to determine how vehicles with pre-crash warning and crash imminent braking (CIB) capabilities perform in these scenarios. The project will also develop pedestrian/cyclist crash scenario simulations that can incorporate the bioinjury model to predict the pedestrian/cyclist injury for different crash scenarios using computer simulation and the driving simulator. Finally, the project will use driving simulation experiment results to refine the simulation model and to inform on safety improvement technologies, such as earlier warning or automated braking. This project will leverage the Crash Imminent Safety University Transportation Center (CrIS UTC) team's significant experience with vehicle-pedestrian crash scenarios. IUPUI has been developing and evaluating vehicle-pedestrian pre-crash warning and braking systems. A large amount of vehicle pre-crash performance data will be collected using two 2013-model-year vehicles with pre-crash warning and CIB capabilities. The data will include the relative motion history of the vehicle and pedestrians, their motion trajectories and speeds, the time and distance that the vehicle pre-crash system starts warning and braking, and the vehicle and mannequin speeds at crash. Similar work is planned for cyclists in 2014. KW - Bicycle crashes KW - Braking KW - Crosswalks KW - Driving simulators KW - Intelligent vehicles KW - Pedestrian traffic KW - Precrash phase KW - Warning systems UR - http://citr.osu.edu/CrIS/?page_id=115 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1285232 ER - TY - ABST AN - 01503181 TI - Safety Policy Implications and Information Dissemination AB - This project has connections to all of the other University Transportation Center (UTC) projects and will include, at the earliest stages, a policy component of the hypothesis testing, experiment planning, and outcomes assessment elements, with the goal of positioning the UTC's research program to have maximum awareness of, and alignment with, policy needs. This alignment is expected to result in earlier adoption of autonomous and intelligent vehicle technologies, thereby accelerating improvement and impact of the United States Department of Transportation's (USDOT's) safety performance metrics and goals. The project will conduct research on policies and regulations that can either support or hinder the adoption of new safety technologies and intelligent vehicle systems. This research will include widespread interviews with policymakers, engineers, automotive manufacturers, suppliers, and drivers. The project will also determine whether there are differences among driver population groups (e.g., by age, race, socio-economic status) in their interactions to and sentiments about autonomous and intelligent vehicle systems. In this way the project can identify factors that may affect the adoption and use of these technologies by different segments of drivers. KW - Highway safety KW - Information dissemination KW - Intelligent vehicles KW - Policy making KW - Precrash phase KW - Precrash scenarios KW - Technological innovations UR - http://citr.osu.edu/CrIS/?page_id=119 UR - https://trid.trb.org/view/1285231 ER -