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Public Perceptions Of The Midwest’S Pavements - Wisconsin - Phase Iii (Final Report), Marquette University, Department Of Civil, Construction, And Environmental Engineering

Transportation Research Center: Public Perception of Midwest Pavements

The stratified sample furnished by WisDOT and the participants recruited by the WSRL provided a sample adequate for purposes of fulfilling the objectives of Phase III. The sample as furnished by the DOT was skewed towards better pavement quality based on PDI. However, the sample based on IRI was skewed toward poorer quality pavements. The team believes this shows a balanced sample, and the differences in pavement quality between the two indices are the result of the IRI boundaries for the categories. The categories in the two indices should be in closer agreement, although they measure different characteristics.

Overall, the …

Excessive Strand End Slip In Prestressed Piles, Michael F. Petrou, Baolin Wan, Walter S. Joiner, Constantin G. Trezos, Kent A. Harries

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

This paper presents the results of a research project that investigated excessive strand end slip observed recently in some prestressed piles. From measurements taken in the field, it is apparent that the problem o excessive initial strand slip is independent of pile shape and size. Strand end slip is evident in piles of different manufacturers in different states in the Southeast. Excessive strand end slip was found in both the top and bottom of the cross section of the piles, although the top portion of the cross section generally exhibited much higher initial slip. Several preventive measures can be adopted …

Influence Of Mortar Rheology On Aggregate Settlement, Michael F. Petrou, Baolin Wan, Francis Gadala-Maria, Venkata Giri Kolli, Kent A. Harries

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

The influence of the rheology of fresh concrete on the settlement of aggregate is examined. Fresh concrete exhibits a yield stress that, under certain conditions, prevents the settlement of coarse aggregate, although its density is larger than that of the suspending mortar. Calculations, based on estimates of the yield stress obtained from slump tests, predict that aggregate normally used in concrete should not sink. To test this prediction, the settlement of a stone in fresh mortar is monitored. The stone does not sink in the undisturbed mortar (which has a high yield stress), but sinks when the mortar is vibrated, …

Main Project Report : Noise And Texture On Pcc Pavements, David Kuemmel, Ronald C. Sonntag, James Crovetti, Yosef Becker, John R. Jaeckel, Allex Satanovsky

Transportation Research Center: Noise & Texture Studies

This report represents the second phase of a project sponsored by the Wisconsin DOT and the FHWA researching the texture and noise characteristics of Portland cement concrete (PCC) pavements. The team of Marquette University and the HNTB Corporation measured noise, texture and friction of 57 test sites in Colorado, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota and Wisconsin. During 1997, new test sections were constructed in Wisconsin, including random transverse, skewed and longitudinally tined PCC pavements. Interior and exterior noise was measured on all 57 sites using the Fast Fourier Transform method with a Larson-Davis two channel real time acoustical analyzer. Subjective …

Preferences For Permitted And Protected Left-Turn Signal Displays, Alexander Drakopoulos, Richard W. Lyles

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

Twenty-two different signal displays for permitted and protected left turns were evaluated from a driver comprehension perspective. The objective was to identify which alternate signal displays used to convey the same left-turn message to the driver are better comprehended and therefore recommended for use in the field. Protected displays compliant with the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices were found to be better comprehended than certain noncompliant displays; however, some noncompliant permitted displays were found to outperform their compliant counterparts. Regional comprehension biases are nonexistent for the most part, regardless of display compliance with the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control …

Investigative Study Of The Italgrip System - Noise Analysis, David Kuemmel, John Jaeckel, Alex Satanovsky

Transportation Research Center: Noise & Texture Studies

The purpose of this study was to determine if Italgrip is a suitable technique to increase the safety and quality of Wisconsin roadways. The objective of this noise analysis is to identify and quantify any exterior noise impacts of the Italgrip anti-skid surface treatment on PCC pavements. Italgrip is a very thin surface treatment consisting of a two-part polymer resin placed on pavement and covered with re-worked steel slag. Although widely used in Italy, Italgrip has only been available in the United States since 1999.

This study analyzes comparative data from three types of pavement surfaces: untreated transverse tined PCC …

Public Perceptions Of The Midwest’S Pavements - Introduction, David Kuemmel

Transportation Research Center: Public Perception of Midwest Pavements

The “Public Perceptions of the Midwest’s Pavements” is the largest survey of public perceptions of satisfaction and improvement policies on rural, two-lane highways ever conducted in the 20th Century in the USA. The project was a Pooled Fund effort undertaken by the Wisconsin DOT and included equal participation of the Iowa and Minnesota DOTs. Approximately 4500 drivers and over 1000 highway segments were surveyed in the three states in all three phases of the project, between 1996 and 2000.

The surveys included improvement policy and construction alternative issues and trade-offs, as well as surveys of beliefs and attitudes of the …