Digital Commons Network^™

Research On High-Rap Mixtures With Rejuvenator - Field Implementation, Nitish R. Bastola, Mahdieh Khedmati, Hamzeh Haghshenas

Nebraska Department of Transportation: Research Reports

The use of Rejuvenating Agents (RAs), as Recycled Asphalt Pavement (RAP) modifiers, has been increasing over the past years. However, the field performance of asphalt mixtures containing high-RAP materials and modified with RAs has raised some concerns regarding the long-term performance of RAs. This study evaluated the laboratory and field performance of high-RAP mixtures with and without bio-oil RA. Three sets of plant-produced specimens were collected: 1) laboratory-compacted; 2) field-compacted and cored after paving; and 3) field-compacted and cored after one and two years. The Hamburg Wheel Tracking (HWT) test was used to evaluate the specimens' resistance to rutting and …

Supply Chain Challenges And Culinary Consumers, Jeff S. Kelly

Faculty Work Comprehensive List

"I can say that we are in uncharted territory with consumer increase and complications in each of the supply chain areas. This sounds like an opportune time for innovation and creative thinking."

Posting about the effect of supply chain issues on the restaurant industry from In All Things - an online journal for critical reflection on faith, culture, art, and every ordinary-yet-graced square inch of God’s creation.

https://inallthings.org/supply-chain-challenges-and-culinary-consumers/

Interstate 11: The Road To Prosperity In Nevada, Arthur C. Nelson

Policy Briefs and Reports

Interstate 11 (I-11) offers Nevada a unique opportunity to advance the economic development prospects of one of the state’s most economically challenged areas: Elko and eastern Nevada. Although the state used a qualitative system to choose a western route for I-11, this process may not have considered fully the costs of extending I-11 to Canada in a cost-effective manner or in a manner consistent with I-11 purposes, especially avoiding congested areas. This briefing report reviews the history and purposes of I-11; summarizes the I-11 route options; considers how I-11 might extend to Canada in a way that is consistent with …

S5e10: Why Is The Supply Chain Bogged Down?, Ron Lisnet, Patti Miles

The Maine Question

Supply chain problems are occupying many people’s minds, especially with the holidays around the corner. Numerous newspaper stories and TV segments have featured images of cargo ships waiting for days or weeks to unload their goods from Asia into ports up and down the West Coast. Americans are witnessing shortages of many products they once took for granted, including lumber, various food items and computer chips, among others. Demand for goods has grown, yet producers are struggling to keep up after a slowdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

In this week’s episode of “The Maine Question,” Patti Miles, an associate …

Growth Likely In A Time Of Uncertainty, Eric Thompson

Business in Nebraska

The U.S. economy continues to recover from the recession which occurred during March and April of 2020. Demand has been strong for both goods and services. At the same time, supply constraints are a concern in the economy, contributing to both higher prices and in some cases lost production within industries. Supply constraints are evident in both inputs (supplies) and labor. Labor force growth has been anemic in the last two years given slow population growth and a roughly 2 percent decline in the labor force participation rate. Looking forward, the baseline outlook is for the U.S. economic recovery to …

Solar-Powered Automated Transportation: Feasibility And Visualization, Burford J. Furman, Laxmi Ramasubramanian, Shannon Mcdonald, Ron Swenson, Jack Fogelquist, Yu Chiao, Alex Pape, Mario Cruz

Mineta Transportation Institute

A solar-powered automated transportation network (ATN) connecting the North and South campuses of San José State University with three passenger stations was designed, visualized, and analyzed in terms of its energy usage, carbon offset, and cost. The study’s methodology included the use of tools and software such as ArcGIS, SketchUp, Infraworks, Sketchup, Rhinoceros, and Autodesk 3DS Max. ATN vehicle energy usage was estimated using data from the university’s Park & Ride shuttle bus operation and by modeling with SUMOPy, the advanced simulation suite for the micro-traffic simulator SUMO. The energy study showed that an extensive solar photovoltaic (PV) canopy over …

An Appraisal Of Transportation And Accommodation Facilities In Academic Performance And Utilization Of Library Resources And Services By Undergraduate Students Of Michael Okpara University Of Agriculture Abia, Nigeria, Lawal Mohammed Tukur, Bilkisu Lawal Sayaya

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

The study examines the transportation and accommodation facilities in academic performance and utilization of library resources and services by undergraduate students of Michael Okpara University of agriculture Abia, Nigeria. Undergraduate students from Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Abia, are the respondents. The main objective of the study is to assess the transportation and accommodation facilities in academic performance and utilization of library resources and services by undergraduate students of the studied university in order to analyze the types of transportation and accommodation facilities available. The researcher took 0.4 % of the entire respondent population= 35335= 150, so one hundred …

Enhancing Serviceability And Resiliency Of Transportation Networks Based On Topological Credentials And Systematic Design Interventions, Md Ashraf Ahmed

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Recent advancements in network science showed that the topological credentials (i.e., rank of relative importance) of network components (such as nodes and links), carry significant implications as it is critical to know which components contribute the most to the overall network performance. For transportation networks, critical components (roads, bridges) may become inaccessible for adjacent traffic due to day-to-day congestion or external disruptions (i.e., man-made or natural hazards) that significantly reduce the level of service. Hence, topological credentials of critical network components based on their connectivity need to be assessed to enhance the serviceability, i.e., improved travel time experience as well …

Analytical Models For Traffic Congestion And Accident Analysis, Hongrui Liu, Rahul Ramachandra Shetty

Mineta Transportation Institute

In the US, over 38,000 people die in road crashes each year, and 2.35 million are injured or disabled, according to the statistics report from the Association for Safe International Road Travel (ASIRT) in 2020. In addition, traffic congestion keeping Americans stuck on the road wastes millions of hours and billions of dollars each year. Using statistical techniques and machine learning algorithms, this research developed accurate predictive models for traffic congestion and road accidents to increase understanding of the complex causes of these challenging issues. The research used US Accidents data consisting of 49 variables describing 4.2 million accident records …

Overcoming The Challenges Of Community-Engaged Emergency Referrals In A Rural District Of Pakistan, Imran Naeem Abbasi, Sameen Siddiqi

Community Health Sciences

A functional referral system for addressing health emergencies requires coordinated efforts by health system's stakeholders and the community. Using the Rural Health Programme (RHP) Thatta as a platform provided by an academic institution, district health system stakeholders and the community of Mirpur Sakro, taluka of Thatta, were engaged to strengthen the referral system for health emergencies through active community engagement. Through consultations with stakeholders, a referral system plan was developed with community volunteers from each village as focal persons for transportation, referring patients to health facilities and maintaining referral documentation. The stakeholders' experience and perceptions about the referral system were …

Rewriting Our Nation's Deadly Traffic Manual, Sara C. Bronin, Gregory H. Shill

Cornell Law Faculty Publications

Every day, Americans entrust their lives to a road system that is governed by the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices for Streets and Highways (the Manual). On its face, this Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) publication is a straightforward technical document. It contains over eight hundred pages of engineering guidance on everything from traffic-light placement to the font of highway signs. It also establishes acceptable methods for officials to modify speed limits.

While such provisions may sound inconsequential, some of the Manual’s provisions have far-reaching, even deadly, consequences. They prioritize vehicular speed over public safety, mobility over other uses of …

Vermont Transportation Energy Profile 2021, Jonathan Dowds, Dana Rowangould

University of Vermont Transportation Research Center

Slightly more than one-third of the total energy consumed in Vermont is used for transportation (see Figure E-1). Transportation energy is overwhelmingly derived from fossil fuels, with over 95% coming in the form of gasoline and diesel fuel. Transportation is also the largest source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the State, accounting for 39.1% GHGs in 2017.

Consequently, the 2016 Vermont Comprehensive Energy Plan (CEP) included three goals and nine supporting objectives related to reducing transportation sector energy consumption and GHG emissions (VDPS, 2016). The 2021 Vermont Transportation Energy Profile (“the Profile”) is the fifth installment of a biannual …

Greenhouse Gas Inventory Of Transportation And Driving Habits At Gettysburg College, Flavia Soctto D'Antuono, Megan G. Wojnar

Student Publications

By tracking the overall emissions put out by a college campus, mitigation strategies can be researched to lower total emissions. This study utilized a survey for both the student body and faculty and staff members at Gettysburg College in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. This survey allowed this study to answer three research questions; what is the total number of Scope 3 emissions at Gettysburg College, how do these findings compare to findings from 2009 and the 2016 STARS report for Gettysburg College, and if any potential mitigation strategies are welcomed by the campus community. This study examined five major driving related emission …

Influence Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On Amphibian Road Mortality, Gregory Leclair, Matthew H. Chatfield, Zachary Wood, Jeffrey Parmelee, Cheryle A. Frederick

Teaching, Learning & Research Documents

The COVID-19 pandemic and its related human activity shutdowns provide unique opportunities for biodiversity monitoring through what has been termed the “anthropause” or the “great human confinement experiment.” The pandemic caused immense disruption to human activity in the northeastern United States in the spring of 2020, with notable reductions in traffic levels. These shutdowns coincided with the seasonal migration of adult amphibians, which are typically subject to intense vehicle-impact mortality. Using data collected as part of an annual community science monitoring program in Maine from 2018 to 2021, we examined how amphibian mortality probabilities responded to reductions in traffic during …

Corridor-Wide Surveillance Using Unmanned Aircraft Systems, Benjamín Colucci-Ríos, Ivette Cruzado, David González-Barreto, Alberto M. Figueroa-Medina, Didier M. Valdés-Díaz, Yu Zhang, Achilleas Kourtellis, Joseph Post, Hualong Tang

Research Reports

The motivation for this research was the lack of a protocol to apply an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) platform for traffic data collection and effectively analyze and evaluate incidents in high-speed multi-lane and freeway corridors. The ultimate purpose of this research study was to integrate the use of drones into real-time incident detection to assist in reducing congestion and delay, improve traffic operations, and enhance overall safety in the corridor and contiguous surface transportation networks. Phase I of the research project consisted of a comprehensive literature review, selection and acquisition of drones and drone training to develop the protocol, data …

Sales Capture Patterns Among Nebraska Counties, Eric Thompson, Spencer Cook

Business in Nebraska

Sales capture, the share of local spending power that is captured by area businesses, is an important measure of economic activity. Greater sales capture, which is typically measured using data on local taxable sales, creates multiple benefits for the economy. 1. EMPLOYMENT: Greater sales capture means more employment in retailers, wholesalers, restaurants, hotels, and other businesses subject to sales tax. 2. TAX REVENUE: Taxable sales are an important part of the tax base of many city governments. 3. QUALITY OF LIFE: Retail and hospitality (restaurants, lodging, amusement, and recreation) businesses account for a significant share of taxable sales. These industries …

Public Cleanliness Satisfaction Survey 2021, Paulin Straughan, Mathews Mathew

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

The Singapore Management University undertook the fourth wave of the Public Cleanliness Satisfaction Survey (PCSS) with 2,007 Singapore resident respondents providing responses to the survey from February 2021 to May 2021, amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 2021 wave of the PCSS continued to reflect the overall satisfaction with public cleanliness in Singapore, similar to the last PCSS in 2019. Majority of survey respondents (92%) were satisfied with the cleanliness of public spaces that they had recently visited, a 1% decrease from the findings in 2019.

There was a substantial drop in satisfaction with the cleanliness of food outlets, with a …

Planning, Aging, And Loneliness: Reviewing Evidence About Built Environment Effects, Yingying Lyu, Ann Forsyth

Geography & Planning Faculty Publications

Large numbers of people in many countries report being lonely with rates highest among the very old. Does the built environment affect loneliness among older people and if so, how? Using a scoping review, we examined associations between loneliness and built environments at the block, neighborhood, and city scales The (a) neighborhood environment has received most attention. Research has also examined (b) urban contexts, (c) housing, and (d) transportation access. Findings are mixed with the stronger evidence that local resources, walkability, overall environment quality, housing options, and nearby transportation alternatives can help combat loneliness.

Gp3: Gaussian Process Path Planning For Reliable Shortest Path In Transportation Networks, Hongliang Guo, Xuejie Hou, Zhiguang Cao, Jie Zhang

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

This paper investigates the reliable shortest path (RSP) problem in Gaussian process (GP) regulated transportation networks. Specifically, the RSP problem that we are targeting at is to minimize the (weighted) linear combination of mean and standard deviation of the path's travel time. With the reasonable assumption that the travel times of the underlying transportation network follow a multi-variate Gaussian distribution, we propose a Gaussian process path planning (GP3) algorithm to calculate the a priori optimal path as the RSP solution. With a series of equivalent RSP problem transformations, we are able to reach a polynomial time complexity algorithm with guaranteed …

Modernization Of Scienttific Mathematics Formula In Technology, Iwasan D. Kejawa Ed.D, Prof. Iwasan D. Kejawa Ed.D

Department of Mathematics: Faculty Publications

Abstract
Is it true that we solve problem using techniques in form of formula? Mathematical formulas can be derived through thinking of a problem or situation. Research has shown that we can create formulas by applying theoretical, technical, and applied knowledge. The knowledge derives from brainstorming and actual experience can be represented by formulas. It is intended that this research article is geared by an audience of average knowledge level of solving mathematics and scientific intricacies. This work details an introductory level of simple, at times complex problems in a mathematical epidermis and computability and solvability in a Computer Science. …

Understanding And Efficiently Managing Right-To-Take Challenges In Kentucky, Pam Clay-Young, Steve Waddle, Bryan Gibson

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

Executive Summary

Kentucky constitutional and statutory law requires that a fair process be in place to let a property owner challenge a condemnor’s right to acquire private property, including a right to appeal the initial decision. Property acquired by a condemnor must be for public use, and property owners have the right to an immediate and expedited hearing on right-to-take. Two of these requirements will remain in place regardless of statutory revisions: the requirement that property must be needed (i.e., not arbitrary) for public use, and the right to one appeal. Only an amendment(s) to the Kentucky Constitution would alter …

Design And Detailing Of Cast-In-Place And Precast Concrete Approach Slabs, George Morcous, Mostafa Abo-Elkhier

Nebraska Department of Transportation: Research Reports

Approach slab is a structural concrete slab that spans from the backwall of the abutment (i.e. end of the bridge floor) to the beginning of the paving section. The purpose of the approach slab is to carry the traffic loads over the backfill behind the abutments to avoid differential settlement that causes bumps at the bridge ends. Cast- in-place concrete approach slab is the current practice in US with various spans, reinforcement, thicknesses, joints, and concrete covers. NDOT has observed premature cracking in a significant number of approach slabs, which could result in a shorter service life and costly repairs/replacements …

Research And Education For Optimizing The Development And Implementation Of An Unmanned Aircraft Program At The Nebraska Department Of Transportation, Wayne Woldt, Jon Starr, Christopher M. U. Neale

Nebraska Department of Transportation: Research Reports

This report describes the development and implementation of an Unmanned Aircraft System Program at the Nebraska Department of Transportation (NDOT). The project involved the selection and purchase of appropriate UAS and imaging systems for NDOT, education and training for NDOT personnel with classroom and hands-on operation of UAS with the goal of obtaining proficiency and pilot licenses. In addition, the development of policy for the use of UAS within NDOT was accomplished as well as standard operating procedures (SOP) documentation and the development of example case studies of interest to NDOT using the purchased systems and technology.

We’Re Here To Get You There: A Statistical Analysis Of Bridgewater State University’S Transit System, Abigail Adams

Honors Program Theses and Projects

Bridgewater State University first established its on-campus transportation service in January of 1984. While it began only running as an on-campus service for students throughout the day, the service grew to expand by offering an off-campus connection to the neighboring city of Brockton and absorbed the night service system from the campus safety team. As BSU Transit continues to grow, the organization is seeking ways to improve their overall service and better prepare their fleet and driver pool to accommodate this growth. The purpose of this research is to analyze trends among the data collected by BSU Transit and assist …

Evaluating Asct Operations For Dodge Street Corridor, Anuj Sharma, Subhadipto Poddar, Atousa Zarindast, Christopher Day

Nebraska Department of Transportation: Research Reports

As Adaptive Traffic Control (ATC) is increasingly being implemented by various traffic agencies, careful evaluation is needed of the degree to which a given ATC implementation improves traffic signal performance. The present study details the evaluation of ATC for two arterial corridors in the City of Omaha, Nebraska. Several performance measures were used across two stages of ATC implementation as well as during the unanticipated COVID-19 lockdown stage.

The average travel time and variability in travel time showed that Stage 1 of ATC implementation in Omaha did not improve traffic signal performance for the study’s main corridor, Dodge Street. This …

Effects Of The Transportation And Climate Initiative On The Maine Economy: An Analysis Of Cap-And-Invest And Its Heterogeneous Impacts On Rural And Urban Households, William L. Somes

Honors College

In December 2020, a memorandum of understanding (MOU) was released by the Transportation and Climate Initiative Program (TCI-P), a collaboration of 13 jurisdictions in the New England and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. Modeled on the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), the TCI-P follows a cap-and-invest framework to reduce emissions from the transportation sector by 26% from 2022 to 2032. Since the TCI-P is expected to raise the price of gasoline by 5¢ to 9¢ per gallon, there has been concern that some populations may be disproportionately affected. The present research studies the potential heterogeneous impacts of the TCI-P …

Feasibility Study: Alternatives To Prevent Settlements And Bumps At Bridge Approach, Seunghee Kim, Jongwan Eun, Yusuf Alhowaidi, Daniel Robertson

Nebraska Department of Transportation: Research Reports

This project aims to examine the feasibility of improving the current design practice of the approach slab foundation in Nebraska and the alternative of using geosynthetic reinforcement of soils to prevent the bump issues near the end of bridge approaches via an in-depth numerical simulation study. A large-scale pullout test is also conducted as complementary to provide input parameters for the interaction between the regional soil and selected geosynthetics. Based on the results, it is recommended that the number of grade beam piles could be reduced to 40-50 % of the total number of abutment piles while maintaining the same …

Impact Of Covid-19 On City Streets, Mihir Sharma

Honors Scholar Theses

Covid-19 has had a severe impact on the urban fabric of many cities and caused disruption to the current way of living. This paper attempts to shed light on the impact that Covid-19 has had on the city streets and how city streets have adapted to the disruptions brought on by the virus. Furthermore the paper lays down recommendations that cities can use to make their streets healthier and safer

A Comparison Of Medical Article Transport Approaches, Andrew White

Honors Scholar Theses

Our senior design project is to develop a product named the Smartbox - a container capable of safely carrying and monitoring medical articles and accommodate a UAV drone carrying the container. These medical articles include sensitive medicines and human organs for transplantation. Speed, safety, and reliability are a must in this field, as the stakes if a payload is lost or improperly maintained can be life threatening. This project aims to improve on the existing medical transport logistics chains in use today. Time is the most important factor in transportation: many organs simply cannot survive outside of the human body …

Risk And Safety Associated With Hazardous Materials Transport In Rural And Native American Communities: A Case Study Of Thurston County, Nebraska, Sydney James

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Rural counties and Native American Reservations often lack the resources and planning to respond to a hazardous material release which can cause catastrophic results. Many rural counties and Native American Reservations do not have close access to a fire department or medical facility, which would increase response times during a time of crisis. Jurisdiction issues further complicate the matter since Native American Reservations are sovereign nations,.

Thurston County, home to two Native American Reservations, served as a case study to perform a safety analysis for vehicles transporting hazardous material. Stakeholders within the county from tribal, county, and state levels were …