Engineering Commons^™

Spf-R Online User Guide, Eric Green, Paul Ross, Christopher Blackden, William Staats, Reginald Souleyrette

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

SPF-R Online greatly improves and simplifies the SPF development process. Building on the original SPF-R script, the online tool eliminates many of the technical barriers associated with the original process, allowing for a much larger audience to take advantage of SPF-R’s capabilities. Like the original SPF-R script, SPF-R Online lets users quickly explore the effect of roadway network heterogeneity on SPF development, compare CURE plots , and compare goodness-of-fit measures to decide which SPF is most appropriate for a given dataset.

Best Practices For Highway Project Scoping, Jeff Jasper, Samantha Wright, Jon Wilcoxson, Robin Baskette, Christopher Van Dyke

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

One of the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet’s (KYTC) foremost priorities in fulfilling its mission is to deliver successful projects — quality solutions that meet the defined scope and are delivered on time and within the budget specified in the Highway Plan. When a project scope is not clearly defined or uncertain, revisions may take place after the project is already underway, leading to delays or overpromising what can be delivered. Ideally, a reliable, decisive project scope is defined in the early phases of the highway project development process. The scope should include a project definition that clearly communicates the project scope’s …

Rapid Pothole Repair In Concrete Bridge Decks, Abheetha Peiris, Issam Harik

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

Using traditional methods to repair potholes in reinforced concrete (RC) bridge decks is time-consuming and requires significant manpower and equipment. However, commercially available epoxies and similar materials provide a repair option that does not require saw cutting the deck around the pothole, concrete removal, and replacement. Researchers laboratory tested three epoxies to identify which is best for pothole repairs. Based on assessments of substrate penetration times and set times for epoxy and epoxy mortar, as well as compressive strength gain over time for epoxy mortar, researchers selected Sikadur 52 for static and dynamic bending tests using small-scale beams with simulated …

Analysis Of Traffic Crash Data In Kentucky 2017-2021, Paul Ross, Eric Green, Christopher Blackden, Christopehr Van Dyke, Michael Fields, Riana Tanzen

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

Each year the Kentucky Transportation Center publishes Analysis of Traffic Crash Data in Kentucky, a report that reviews state-level crash data from the previous five years. This report summarizes crash data for 2017 through 2021. In addition to presenting a review of crash data, the report also contains safety performance functions (SPFs) for nine roadway types. Because SPFs were derived using 2017-2021 data, the models predict crashes for a five-year period. Users must adjust the model by adding a coefficient of 1/5 to models to avoid overestimating crashes by a factor of five.

Kentucky Traffic Collision Facts 2021 Report, Paul Ross, Eric Green, Christopher Blackden, Michael Fields, Kenneth Agent, Christopher Van Dyke, Ed Harding

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

Each year the Kentucky Transportation Center publishes the Traffic Collision Facts report in collaboration with the Commonwealth of Kentucky, Kentucky State Police, and Kentucky Transportation Cabinet. This is the fiscal year 2022 report, which covers collisions reported during calendar year 2021. For the year, 734 fatal crashes, 20,117 nonfatal crashes, and 88,440 property damage only crashes occurred on the state’s roadways. Overall, 109,291 crashes were reported in calendar year 2021, a 8.4 percent increase over calendar year 2020.

Investigation Of Illegal Weigh Station Bypassing, Mallory Brown, Andrew Martin, David Leddy, Jennifer Walton

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

This study recommends best practices to curb illegal weigh station bypassing by commercial motor vehicles (CMVs). Analysis of historical data collected by Kentucky State Police – Commercial Vehicle Enforcement (KSP-CVE) for 2017-2021 revealed that CMV drivers were charged with illegally bypassing weigh stations 2,616 times. Drivers were charged with an average of two other violations when cited for illegal bypassing — most often violations related to credentialing, vehicle safety, or driver safety. Site visits to three permanent weigh stations in Kentucky revealed that CMVs regularly bypass weigh stations illegally, including those authorized to use preclearance systems (Drivewyze and PrePass). A …

2022 Safety Belt Usage Survey In Kentucky, Erin Lammers-Staats, Derek S. Young, Eric Green, Kenneth R. Agent

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

Each year Kentucky Transportation Center researchers conduct a safety belt usage survey to estimate Kentucky’s statewide safety belt usage rate. In 2022, the safety belt usage rate in Kentucky was 86.72 percent, which represents a 3.06 decline over 2021. Safety belt usage peaked in 2018 at 89.99 percent. Declines in safety belt usage rate over the past couple years may be attributable in part to changes in driver behaviors and traffic dynamics following the COVID-19 pandemic. If Kentucky wants to increase safety belt usage rates, the state may need ramp up enforcement of safety belt laws or bolster educational outreach …

Krs And Kar Review Of Models As A Legal Contract Document, Bryan Gibson, Pam Clay-Young, Rachel Catchings, Chris Van Dyke

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

State departments of transportation (DOTs) are expanding the use of electronic engineering data (EED) throughout highway projects — from design and construction through asset management. Included under the umbrella of EED are technologies such as building information modelling (BIM), digital terrain models (DTMs), and 3D models and plan sets. The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet’s (KYTC) Digital Project Delivery (DPD) Initiative is spearheading the transition to EED in the state. While digital delivery promises to streamline project development and management it does not come without hurdles. This report discusses methods for agency wide implementation of EED and highlights best practices for managing, …

Risk-Based Project Development, Steve Waddle, Ying Li, Christopher Van Dyke

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

Risk management is integral to highway project development. Managing risk entails identifying uncertainties which could influence project activities, understanding how they can be mitigated or eliminated, and monitoring risk during project development. Many state transportation agencies have introduced methods for identifying risks, determining whether risks are high impact or low impact, and generating response strategies. These methods are often qualitative or semi-quantitative in nature due to the challenge of quantifying the likelihood of a risk and its effects. These approaches are nonetheless valuable for helping designers and project development teams remain mindful of negative risks which could pose significant hurdles. …

Bridge Project Prioritization, Bryan Gibson, Christopher Van Dyke, Sudhir Palle, Ryan Griffith, Doug Kreis

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

Kentucky’s 14,000+ bridges are key nodes within the state’s surface transportation network. They facilitate the movement of freight, commercial vehicles, and personal vehicles alike. Historically, the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) has prioritized bridge maintenance projects using sufficiency ratings. These ratings are based on three factors — structural adequacy and safety, design obsolescence, and an asset’s importance within the roadway network. Although useful, sufficiency ratings do not account for factors that should be considered during the prioritization process (e.g., condition factors, risk). To address the shortcomings associated with using sufficiency ratings, KYTC — with the assistance of the Kentucky Transportation Center …

Utilization Of Lidar Technology — When To Use It And Why, Levy Mcintosh, Brad Rister

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

Lidar technologies can assist transportation agencies during the design, construction, and maintenance phases of transportation projects. While Lidar has numerous applications, successfully deploying Lidar technologies is only possible if agencies have a solid understanding of their use cases and potential limitations. This report offers guidance the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) can use when making decisions on how to employ Lidar technologies in highway contexts. In addition to reviewing Lidar platforms and comparing Lidar-driven surveying to traditional surveying methods, the report examines challenges related to processing and storing Lidar data and the safety benefits Lidar technologies confer in the field. Brief …

Specialized Safety Training And Tracking For Kytc Construction And Maintenance Personnel, Gabriel Dadi, Ashtarout Ammar, Seth Atkins, Martha Horseman

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

High-quality safety training is critical for educating employees in the highway construction and maintenance industry about workplace hazards and giving them tools to remove and/or minimize associated risks. But researchers and state transportation agencies have not committed enough resources to develop safety trainings that address the unique needs of this sector. This report fills in this gap for the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) by cataloguing safety training resources available through other state and federal transportation agencies, documenting trainings available to Cabinet staff, identifying and prioritizing training gaps, and critically evaluating the content, quality, and duration of training resources. A web-based …

Steel Bridge Coating Inventory For 2022, Christopher Goff, Sudhir Palle

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) has replaced the lead-based coatings on many of its steel bridges over the past 30 years. In the 1980s and 1990s, inorganic zinc primers with vinyl topcoats were the go-to option for coating replacement projects. Since 2000, the typical choice for these projects has been organic zinc primers that are part of a two- or three-coat system. Some of these coatings have localized failures in high-stress areas. KYTC’s current inventory of steel bridges numbers over 1,100 structures. Accounting for expected service lives, to properly maintain protective coatings on these bridges will require the Cabinet to …

Updating The Bridge Construction Cost Database, Rachel Catchings, Ying Li, Ryan Griffith, Sudhir Palle

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

Adopting a comprehensive suite of methods to track, analyze, and maintain data on bridge construction costs can help state transportation agencies identify and implement strategies to mitigate the influence of factors which escalate project costs. This report discusses how the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) should approach updating, maintaining, and analyzing its bridge construction cost data. Based on a review of practices introduced at other agencies and interviews with public and private industry stakeholders, the report catalogues practical strategies for improving estimating procedures and tracking cost data as well as the most important cost drivers of bridge construction. Analysis of KYTC …

Extended Weight Systems Pavement Analysis, Gayle Marks, Jon Wilcoxson, Bryan Gibson

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

Kentucky established its Extended Weight Coal or Coal By-products Haul Road System (EWCHRS) in 1986. This road network includes segments of the Coal Haul Highway System on which more than 50,000 tons coal or coal byproducts were transported by motor vehicles during the previous calendar year. In the past few years, the state has introduced extended weight (EW) systems focused on petroleum products and metal commodities. Trucks can operate above posted weight limits on these networks by paying annual fees that range from $160 to $2,000. While EW networks benefit motor carriers by improving efficiency, vehicles that exceed weight limits …

Linking Bad Credentials To Safety Issues, Andrew Martin, Jeeyen Koo, Valerie Keathley-Helil, Mallory Brown, Jennifer Walton

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

This study assesses (1) the effectiveness of the Kentucky Automated Truck Screening (KATS) system, (2) the relationship between credential and vehicle safety violations, (3) the relationship between credential and driver safety violations, and (4) the relationship between credential violations and crashes. The KATS system, which is installed at weigh stations throughout the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is highly effective at detecting KYU, IFTA, and UCR violations with sensitivities of 80.54, 87.56, and 88.28 percent, respectively. However, the system is less effective at detecting IRP violations (sensitivity = 20.83 percent). There is a statistically significant relationship between credentialing and vehicle safety violations, …

Evaluation Of Manual Infrared Brake Screening Technologies, Joseph Crabtree, Brian Beaven, Jennifer Walton

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

The purpose of this project was to install and operate two manual infrared (IR) brake screening systems at Kentucky inspection facilities to enhance the quality of Level 1 safety inspections. A radio button in the inspection software allowed enforcement personnel to indicate when the IR equipment was used to select a truck for inspection. This feature allowed a direct comparison of performance measures (e.g., number of violations identified per inspection, out-of-service rate, etc.) for IR-generated inspections versus all inspections.

The evaluation focused on inspections at the Lyon County site for a 60-day period during September and October 2021. Analysis of …

Fill Materials At Integral End Bents, Charlie Sun, Tony Beckham

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

Jointless bridge designs have become increasingly popular due to their low construction and maintenance costs. But this design carries risks. Most notably, integral end bents can be displaced and undergo settlement due to soil movement in embankments and loads carried by the superstructure. In response, the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) devised a novel treatment for end bent and abutment backfills on low- and middle-span concrete bridges in which elasticized geofoam is placed between geosynthetically confined soil and an integral end bent (GCS-IEB). However, this design requires modification where the elasticized geofoam and overlying pavement meet. Using elasticized geofoam is also …

Electric Vehicles: Analysis Of Revenue Issues And Charging Station Implementation Plans, Chris Van Dyke, Bryan Gibson, Ryan Griffith, Andrew Martin, Jeeyen Koo, Doug Kreis

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

No abstract provided.

Design, Development, And Validation Of An Augmented Reality-Enabled Production Strategy Process, Hala Nassereddine, Dharmaraj Veeramani, Awad S. Hanna

Civil Engineering Faculty Publications

The Production Strategy Process (PSP) is an integral part of production planning and control as it defines how production processes are structured and designed and outlines how production will be executed. PSP involves massive information transfer and communication among project participants. While BIM can improve the flow of information, the paradox of designing 3D models in 2D space remains. This paradox indicates that new visualization technologies are needed to leverage the use of information in the PSP. As Industry 4.0, the fourth industrial revolution, continues to evolve, it is imperative that construction firms seek, find, and adopt new technologies. This …

Characteristics And Assessing Biological Risks Of Airborne Bacteria In Waste Sorting Plant, Abbas Norouzian Baghani, Somayeh Golbaz, Gholamreza Ebrahimzadeh, Marcelo I. Guzman, Mahdieh Delikhoon, Mehdi Jamshidi Rastani, Abdullah Barkhordari, Ramin Nabizadeh

Chemistry Faculty Publications

Examining the concentration and types of airborne bacteria in waste paper and cardboard sorting plants (WPCSP) is an urgent matter to inform policy makers about the health impacts on exposed workers. Herein, we collected 20 samples at 9 points of a WPCSP every 6 winter days, and found that the most abundant airborne bacteria were positively and negatively correlated to relative humidity and temperature, respectively. The most abundant airborne bacteria (in units of CFU m⁻³) were: Staphylococcus sp. (72.4) > Micrococcus sp. (52.2) > Bacillus sp. (30.3) > Enterococcus sp. (24.0) > Serratia marcescens (20.1) > E. coli (19.1) > Pseudomonas sp. (16.0) > Nocardia …

A Global Survey Of Infection Control And Mitigation Measures For Combating The Transmission Of Covid-19 Pandemic In Buildings Under Facilities Management Services, Hadi Sarvari, Zhen Chen, Daniel W. M. Chan, Ellyn A. Lester, Nordin Yahaya, Hala Nassereddine, Aynaz Lotfata

Civil Engineering Faculty Publications

Facilities management along with health care are two important aspects in controlling the spread of infectious diseases with regard to controlling the outbreak of global COVID-19 pandemic. Hence, with the increasing outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic, the importance of examining the relationship between the built environment and the outbreak of infectious diseases has become more significant. The aim of the research described in this article is to develop effective infection control and mitigation measures to prevent the transmission of COVID-19 pandemic in the built environment. This study seeks to answer the question of how the facilities management industry can help reduce …

A Global Survey Of Infection Control And Mitigation Measures For Combating The Transmission Of Covid-19 Pandemic In Buildings Under Facilities Management Services, Hadi Savari, Zhen Chen, Daniel W. M. Chan, Ellyn A. Lester, Nordin Bin Yahaya, Hala Nassereddine, Aynaz Lotfata

Civil Engineering Faculty Publications

Facilities management along with health care are two important aspects in controlling the spread of infectious diseases with regard to controlling the outbreak of global COVID-19 pandemic. Hence, with the increasing outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic, the importance of examining the relationship between the built environment and the outbreak of infectious diseases has become more significant. The aim of the research described in this article is to develop effective infection control and mitigation measures to prevent the transmission of COVID-19 pandemic in the built environment. This study seeks to answer the question of how the facilities management industry can help reduce …

Protocols And Architecture For Privacy-Preserving Authentication And Secure Message Dissemination In Vehicular Ad Hoc Networks, Shafika Showkat Moni

Theses and Dissertations--Computer Science

The rapid development in the automotive industry and wireless communication technologies have enhanced the popularity of Vehicular ad hoc networks (VANETs). Today, the automobile industry is developing sophisticated sensors that can provide a wide range of assistive features, including accident avoidance, automatic lane tracking, semi-autonomous driving, suggested lane changes, and more. VANETs can provide drivers a safer and more comfortable driving experience, as well as many other useful services by leveraging such technological advancements. Even though this networking technology enables smart and autonomous driving, it also introduces a plethora of attack vectors. However, the main issues to be sorted out …

Using Stream Restoration To Mitigate Stormwater Runoff In An Urban Watershed: A Case Study, Jonathan M. Brantley

Theses and Dissertations--Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering

The goal of this case study was to evaluate the effectiveness a 275 m regenerative stream restoration design to mitigate stormwater runoff in a highly urbanized watershed. The restoration resulted in a wide, wetland-like floodplain, comprised of a rock base that was overtopped with a filtration media (approximately 30% woodchips and 70% topsoil). The creation of the floodplain-wetland complex in tandem with filtration media lead to increased storage capacity and an increase in hyporheic exchange within the system. Significant reductions were found for the storm hydrograph parameters volume, peak discharge, and time to peak. Reductions in baseflows were also noted …

Optimizing Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Investments And Activities To Improve Safety And Increase Revenue Collections, Brian Howell, Jennifer Walton, Andrew Martin

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) owns and maintains 14 fixed weigh stations for commercial vehicle enforcement. The Kentucky State Police (KSP) is responsible for staffing these facilities to conduct enforcement, while KYTC is responsible for constructing and maintaining these facilities. Like many states, Kentucky has experienced a decline of enforcement personnel to operate weigh stations limiting its ability to conduct inspections for safety enforcement and revenue collection. This study analyzes three CMV facilities for their impact on safety enforcement and revenue collection and determines their viability for potential replacement. All three existing weigh stations in Hardin, Fulton, and Henderson counties …

Incorporating Speed Into Crash Modeling For Rural Two-Lane Highways, Fahmida Rahman

Theses and Dissertations--Civil Engineering

Rural two-lane highways account for 76% in mileages of the total paved roads in the US. In Kentucky, these roads represent 85 % of the state-maintained mileages. Crashes on these roads account for 40% of all crashes, 47% of injury crashes, and 66% of fatal crashes on state-maintained roads. These statistics draw attention to the need to investigate the crashes on these roads. Several factors such as road geometries, traffic volume, human behavior, etc. contribute to crashes on a road. Recently, studies have identified speed as one of the key factors of crashes as well as the severity associated with …

Load And Pressure Distribution As A Function Of Dynamic Contact Stress At The Railroad Crosstie-Ballast Interface, Habib Abdil Unluoglu

Theses and Dissertations--Civil Engineering

Excessive crosstie wear and abrasion and ballast wear and fouling are two of the fundamental problems contributing to inadequate railroad track performance. This adversely affects the attainment and long-term maintenance of desired track geometric requirements. The magnitudes and distribution of the stresses at the crosstie-ballast (CT-B) interface must be known to determine the stress distribution on the ballast. However, the stresses at the top of the ballast often vary significantly. This study examines a new approach to predicting dynamic contact pressures at the interface of crosstie and ballast using the ‘square wave theory.’ A data set of in-track CT-B interfacial …

Induced Travel Demand: Measuring The Contribution Of Additional Lane Miles On The Increase In U.S. Vehicle Miles Traveled From 1980 To 2019, Brandon Ivanchak

Theses and Dissertations--Civil Engineering

Induced travel demand is the effect of increasing the amount of vehicle miles traveled because of an increase in roadway capacity. It is explained by the idea that increasing capacity makes driving on those roads more desirable, thereby causing more people to use them. In1962, Robert Downs postulated that “On urban commuter expressways, peak hour traffic congestion rises to meet maximum capacity,” referring to this as the law of peak hour traffic congestion. Since then, there have been ongoing debates about the effectiveness and environmental impact of roadway expansion projects, and efforts to quantify induced demand to inform those debates. …

Classifying And Mapping Aquatic Vegetation In Heterogeneous Stream Ecosystems Using Visible And Multispectral Uav Imagery, Rozalia Agioutanti

Theses and Dissertations--Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering

The need for assessment and management of aquatic vegetation in stream ecosystems is recognized given the importance in impacting water quality, hydrodynamics, and aquatic biota. However, existing approaches to monitor are laborious and its currently not feasible to track spatial and temporal differences at broad scales. The objective of this study was therefore to map and classify aquatic vegetation of a shallow stream with heterogenous mixtures of emergent and submerged aquatic vegetation. Data was collected in the Camden Creek watershed within the Inner Bluegrass Region of central Kentucky. The use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) was employed and both visible …