Engineering Commons^™

Mercury-Filled Settlement Gage, Tommy C. Hopkins, Robert C. Deen

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

A description is given of a remote sensing, multiple-point, mercury-filled settlement gage designed for measuring in-place settlements. The gage consists of settlement units positioned at locations where settlement measurements are desired and a monitoring unit located outside of construction limits. Settlement readings are observed on a mercury manometer located at the monitoring site and are· equal to the differences in initial and subsequent pressure head readings. Comparisons of measurements obtained at a highway construction site from mercury gage settlement units and conventional settlement platforms are presented and show very good agreement. With the mercury gage, a large amount of settlement …

Tar Concrete Pavement Construction And Performance, Jerry G. Rose

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

In 1969, a 6.6-mile section of relocated KY 15 in Perry and Knott Counties was paved utilizing coal-tar (RT-12) concrete base and surface. This project was authorized under the Appalachian Regional Development Act of 1965 and was designated as experimental as a means of implementing a section of the Act.

Two nearby sections of KY 15, containing asphalt (PAC-5) concrete base and surface, were designated as control sections and used for comparison purposes. With the exception of the bituminous material, the experimental and control sections were purposefully made equal in all other respects. A design soil CBR of 9 was …

A Pavement Design Schema, James H. Havens, Robert C. Deen, Herbert F. Southgate

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

Elastic theory and 40 years of empirical flexible pavement design in Kentucky have been joined into the design system presented herein. A brief discussion is presented of the coupling mechanisms relating experience to theoretical analyses. An annotated design procedure is presented as a guide for pavement designers. Design nomographs account for a wide range of input parameters and permit the designer a wide choice of alternative thickness designs.

Characteristics Of Outdoor Recreational Travel, Jerry G. Pigman, John A. Deacon, Robert C. Deen

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

The purpose of this investigation was to examine the characteristics of travel to outdoor recreational areas in Kentucky. Data were obtained by means of a license-plate, origin-destination survey at 160 sites within 42 recreational areas and by means of a continuous vehicle counting program at eight of these sites. A computer algorithm was developed for error detection and subsequent adjustment of the volume data as necessitated by occasional malfunction of the traffic recorders and vandalism. Vehicle occupancy was found to depend of the type of recreational area, distance traveled, and vehicle type. Occupancy increased with increasing distance and was greatest …

Elements Of Median Design In Relation To Accident Occurrence, Gordon R. Garner, Robert C. Deen

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

The purpose of this study was to compare the accident histories of different median types and to provide verification of generally recommended median widths and slopes. A major limitation of the analyses was the small number of possible combinations of median width and cross slope available for study.

The analyses reported provided evidence from accident histories to support the general requirement that wider medians are safer medians. It was indicated that medians should be a minimum of 30-40 feet wide for high speed facilities and that flat slopes should be provided; 4:1 slopes are inadequate for medians less than 60 …

The Safety Barrier Dilemma, James H. Havens, Don L. Cornette, William M. Seymour

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

"Ran-off-the-road" fatal accidents currently account for approximately 65 percent of all freeway fatalities (1). Accordingly, ever-increasing emphasis has been given to the development of effective safety barrier systems, from guardrails to earth berms to median barriers to energy absorbing barriers and mires. However, highway designers have also recognized that safety barriers are hazards in themselves, misfits in the highway environment, and that they are items to be eliminated wherever possible. In a study of fatal accidents on the Interstate Highway System, it was found that fixed object collisions have been the leading source of fatalities, accounting for 43 percent …

Spraygrip Anti-Skid Treatments, Kentucky Turnpike, Jerry G. Rose

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

No abstract provided.

Energy Absorption Devices, James H. Havens

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

An ironic consequence of modern highways has been the emergence of new types of accidents. Recent investigations (1) have shown that "running off the road" may be the largest, single cause of fatalities on limited access, multilane roads. According to the 1967 Report of the Special AASHO Traffic Safety Committee ("Yellow Book") (2) the rate of accidents in gore areas is approximately four times that of ran-off-the-road accidents at other locations. Gore areas which are not or cannot be modified to provide favorable terrain and unobstructed recovery zones have been recognized as misfits in the environs of the highway. Crash …

Skid Resistance Of Pavements [Sept. 1972], Rolands L. Rizenbergs, James L. Burchett, Cass T. Napier

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

Standard pavement types and experimental surfaces on roads throughout Kentucky were evaluated in terms of skid resistance and effects of traffic, wear, and polishing. Friction-vs-speed gradients and the relationships between locked-wheel and incipient friction were determined. Asphaltic concrete pavements on high-speed, four-lane roads were found to be significantly more skid resistant than on two-lane highways and somewhat more skid resistant than concrete surfaces (especially those containing calcareous gravel aggregates). Sand-asphalt surfaces containing significant proportions of limestone sands showed inadequate level of friction for the traffic sustained. Several experimental sand asphalts without limestone sands exhibited greater skid resistance; Kentucky rock asphalt …

Accident And Economic Analyses Of Access Control On Several Bypasses, Kenneth R. Agent

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

In an effort to relieve congestion on urban streets, bypasses have been built to provide through traffic a route by which the downtown areas can be avoided.

In many cases, though, bypasses have created a serious accident potential because they were built with at-grade intersections and no access control. This leads to commercial developments along the bypass and congestion at major intersections. Bypasses were constructed in this manner because of the high initial cost involved in building a bypass with access control and grade-separated interchanges. There is, therefore, a need to determine if the accident cost savings, along with time …

Accidents On Rural Interstate And Parkway Roads And Their Relation To Pavement Friction, Cass T. Napier

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

Friction measurements were made with a skid trailer at 70 mph on 820 miles of rural, four-lane, controlled-access routes on the interstate and parkway systems in Kentucky. These facilities were subdivided into test sections and half-mile sites. Accident experience, friction measurements and traffic volumes were obtained for each subdivision.

The expression of accident occurrence which correlated best with skid resistance was wet-surface accidents per 100 million vehicle miles. There was a definite trend exhibiting a rapid decrease of accidents with increasing Skid Number (70 mph) to 26 ± 1; thereafter, with increasing Skid Numbers, the rate of decrease was considerably …

Rural Recreational Travel In Kentucky, Jerry G. Pigman

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

The purpose of this study was to develop a methodology for predicting travel patterns on routes leading to outdoor recreational areas in Kentucky. Data were collected by means of a license-plate, origin-destination survey at 160 sites within 42 recreational areas and by means of a continuous vehicle counting program at eight of these sites. Results indicate that the method of associating similar facilities is a reliable procedure for predicting traffic characteristics. Vehicle occupancy was found to depend on the type of recreational area, distance traveled, and vehicle type. Percentages of various vehicle types were also influenced by the type of …

A Rheological Study Of Cohesive Soils, David L. Allen

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

An attempt has been made to describe the mechanistic behavior of remolded and undisturbed soils by application of the principles of rheology. This was accomplished by approximating and comparing the data obtained from transient creep tests and relaxation tests to the mathematical behavior of mechanical impedance models. The data were also analyzed by transforming static moduli and compliances into dynamic values by the application of Fourier transforms. Distribution functions of relaxation and retardation times, obtained by the application of LaPlace transforms, are presented.

All soils tested exhibited similar dynamic moduli and complince curves indicating that soil type had little effect …

Construction Of Full-Depth Asphaltic Concrete Pavements, Jerry D. Ross, Herbert F. Southgate

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

Considerable attention has been devoted to the design and use of full-depth asphaltic concrete pavements. An experimental full-depth pavement was constructed on the Cannonsburg-Ashland Road (US 60), and the mechanical response of each asphaltic concrete layer to static and dynamic loading has been tested during construction.

This report is a documentation of section designs and construction procedures and summarily presents construction test results to be used in future analyses.

Skid-Test Trailer: Description, Evaluation And Adaptation, Rolands L. Rizenbergs, James L. Burchett, Cass T. Napier

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

A two-wheeled skid-test trailer and towing vehicle were acquired in 1969. The trailer was designed primarily for measurement of steady-state friction at and above normal traffic speeds. Measurement of instantaneous wheel loads also permitted determination of peak or incipient friction. Factors and variables associated with the testing device and calibration and test procedures were investigated and standardized, and the trailer was adopted for routine testing. Comparative tests with the trailers of General Motors, Ohio, and West Virginia were conducted, and the data were correlated. The interim standard method of test using an automobile was correlated with the trailer to permit …

Rheological Response Of Asphalts, David L. Allen

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

The rheological response of asphalt cements to shearing stresses is presented. The behavioral characteristics were measured using a rotating coaxial cylinder viscometer. Little or no development of theory is presented.

The viscoelastic portion of deformation is discussed in terms of the creep function. Plastic deformation is described using the definitions of apparent and plastic viscosities. Curves showing the effects of temperature, stress level and penetration on these two major components of strain are presented and discussed. Analysis indicated that plastic deformation is the predominant component of strain and, thus, should be considered and incorporated in the design of flexible pavements.

Construction, Protection And Maintenance Of Concrete Bridge Decks, Ronald D. Hughes, James H. Havens

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

This report presents an historical account of deterioration in reinforced concrete bridge decks. Preventative maintenance treatments to both new and in-service decks are discussed. Repair methods are included. The major forms of deterioration are listed and causative mechanisms are discussed. Potential design and construction remedies are presented for consideration.

Application Of Gravity And Intervening Opportunities Models To Recreational Travel In Kentucky, Kenneth D. Kaltenbach

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

Weekend outdoor recreational travel has a major impact on the highway network in Kentucky. Data from a previous study (1) indicate that the number of people visiting 42 typical Kentucky outdoor recreation areas on an average summer Sunday in 1970 was approximately 260,000. Most of these 42 areas, by virtue of their outdoor nature, are located in rural settings. Most have access to major arterial highways only by means of narrow, low standard rural roads. Traffic generated by the recreation areas and their associated developments severely strains these secondary access highways and places a significant additional load on the rural …

Operational Characteristics Of Lane Drops, Don L. Cornette

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

Traffic behavior studies were conducted at seven lane-drop locations, representing four lane-drop classes. These studies were composed of conflict observations (consisting of both erratic movement and brakelight applications), spot-speed observations, and lane volume counts. Such a study was made before and after each different traffic control device installation in an attempt to determine which device was the most effective in minimizing conflicts at existing lane drops. A study of conflict deviations indicates that no single type of traffic control device studied was significantly effective in reducing erratic movement and brakelight rates at all seven lane-drop locations. Rather, it appears that …

Skid Resistance Of Pavements [July 1972], Rolands L. Rizenbergs, James L. Burchett, Cass T. Napier

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

Standard pavement types and experimental surfaces on roads throughout Kentucky were evaluated in terms of skid resistance and effects of traffic, wear, and polishing. Friction-vs-speed gradients and the relationships between locked-wheel and incipient friction were determined. Class I bituminous pavements on high-speed, four-lane roads were found to be significantly more skid resistant than on two-lane highways and somewhat more skid resistant than concrete surfaces (especially those containing calcareous gravel aggregates). Sand-asphalt surfaces containing significant proportions of limestone sands showed inadequate level of friction for the traffic sustained. Several experimental sand asphalts without limestone sands exhibited greater skid resistance; Kentucky rock …

Unstable Embankment: Us 119 Harlan-Pineville Road Stations 1260 To 1265, Tommy C. Hopkins

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

In January I972, an in-depth investigation of an unstable embankment, Figure 1, on US 119 near Station 1262+00 was initiated. The site is approximately five miles southwest of Harlan and near Wilhoit. Figures 2 and 3 show a plan view and a typical cross-section, respectively. US 119 travels on a tangent from Station 1252+16 to 1255+54 in a northerly direction. From that point, the roadway gradually curves four degrees to the east, becoming tangent again near Station 1275+00. At about Station 1258+00, the roadway emerges from a cut, and near Station 1266+00 it reenters a small cut. Between the latter …

High-Intensity Reflective Materials For Signs, Rolands L. Rizenbergs

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

The intuitive need for improved sign legibility has increased through the years as traffic volumes, speeds and roadway designs have advanced. Because of increased traffic volumes, low-beam headlight illumination at night has become more imperative. Signs are being located farther from the travelled lanes; higher speeds are requiring messages to be more legible at greater distances (for driver decision and response). Recent studies have indicated that even Engineering Grade (2200 and 3200 Series) Scotchlite or materials designated as Type I, Class A in S.P. No. 89-A, may be inadequate for some signing situations. Signs may be made larger and(or) incorporate …

Proposed Remedies: Unstable Embankment At Mile Post 188 And Channel Erosion At Mile Post 190-191; I 64, Boyd County, David R. Houchin, James H. Havens

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

The Department became aware of fill slippage on I 64 some 300 feet east of mile post 188 during the summer of 1967. In September of that year Mr. L. E. Richardson, Division of Maintenance, and Mr. Gordon D. Scott, Division of Research, made an inspection of the area. Mr. Scott reported cracking of shoulder, movement of the guard rail, and a failure in the berm along the toe. However, subsequent inspections showed the slip to be stabilizing by itself until late in 1970 when some additional movement was observed. In January of 1971, the most conspicuous pavement failure was …

Traffic Controls For Maintenance On High Speed Highways, William M. Seymour

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

Observations were first made at lane closures on interstate highways where yellow warning signs were erected routinely in conjunction with contract work. Later data provided direct comparison between new yellow and new orange signs. One sign scheme was used throughout the study. Driver obedience improved when new signs of either color were used; this finding implies that signs should always be maintained in good condition. Orange signs were slightly more effective than yellow signs in reducing traffic conflicts and merges near the traffic cones. The results of the study tend to support the adoption of orange as the standard color …

An Operational Analysis Of The I 64, I 65, I 71 Route Junction In Louisville, Jerry G. Pigman, William M. Seymour, Kenneth R. Agent, Don L. Cornette

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

The Kennedy Interchange in Louisville is the most geometrically complicated of any in Kentucky; it is the junction of three interstate routes, I 64, I 65, and I 71. The many diverging, weaving, and merging movements demand a driver's attention. One merging situation collapses into an impasse during peak-hour traffic. This study is responsive to certain inquiries by the Department concerning safety and possible discovery of design deficiencies at this interchange. It was not intended to be an in-depth study but rather an exploratory identification of problems and their locations; more comprehensive studies, by others, would ensue if needed. The …

Expansive Limestone Aggregate In A Concrete Pavement, James H. Havens, Assaf S. Rahal

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

Recurrent blowups and surface cracking are common symptoms of distress in concrete pavements. Premature appearance of distress symptoms is alarming because the materials used in the concrete become suspect. Criteria for design, quality of materials, and construction are necessarily re-evaluated. Indeed, a dutiful effort to discover the cause(s) and to provide future safeguards is reasonably expected.

The analysis of causative factors besetting I 65-1(13)13 was complicated by an intuitive notion that blowups and surface cracks might be separate and independent problems. The crack pattern resembled the configuration of the wire mesh -- which was vibrated into position after the concrete …

Comparative Evaluation Of Raygo 404 Vibratory Roller, Jerry D. Ross, Herbert F. Southgate, Donald C. Newberry Jr.

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

Roller evaluations are rather phenomenological -- that is, one must rely somewhat on observations. Density measurements following each excursion of the compactor may not relate directly to the work done in compressing the layer. When no increase in density is realized, no work is accomplished. Work is defined here in the classical sense. Energy expended without producing an increase in density is wasted. Thereafter, the only way additional classical work can be done on the layer is to reduce density.

The number of excursions necessary to achieve an acceptable or comparable density generally reflects efficiency of the compactor. Much may …

Urban Expressway Design, Edmund F. Passarelli

Kentucky's Annual Forum on Transportation

No abstract provided.

The Environment And Highways, John D. Cherry

Kentucky's Annual Forum on Transportation

No abstract provided.

Traffic Noise-Techniques For Measurement And Control, Louis F. Cohn

Kentucky's Annual Forum on Transportation

No abstract provided.