Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Analysis And Modeling Of Lane Changing Behavior, Matthew Mark Vechione

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Lane changing is one of the most basic activities when driving on freeways or arterials. A lane changing maneuver may be classified, depending on the driver's motivation, as mandatory or discretionary. A mandatory lane change occurs when a driver is trying to move his/her vehicle from its existing lane to the target lane in anticipation of the next turn or to avoid a lane closure downstream. On the contrary, a discretionary lane change occurs when a driver desires a faster speed or wants a greater following distance (i.e., at the driver's own discretion). Researchers have always assumed that drivers have …

Access Points And Weave Lengths For Automated Truck Lanes At Two Closely Spaced Interchanges, Ximena Jauregui

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The increase of traffic on major U.S. roadways has motivated the implementation of new technologies and better management of the transportation infrastructure, including managed lanes on freeways. Dedicated truck lanes, a type of managed lane, are increasingly attracting attention since truck freight is continuously increasing and trucks have greater impact on traffic flow relatively to cars. Truck-only managed lanes allow trucks to travel at their own speeds in an exclusive lane with no passenger vehicles on the way; likewise, vehicles on the main lanes of the freeway will have fewer trucks to travel with.

As truck-only managed lanes are being …

Damage Quantification Of Energy Developing Areas Of South Texas Using The Axle Load Spectra, Carlos Licon

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Advances in technology, particularly in crude oil extraction, natural gas production, wind energy farms, and other pertinent industries have contributed to exponential growth in energy development activities. In Texas, this energy boomed created large volumes of Over-Size/Over-Weight (OS/OW) truck traffic operations that adversely affected the service life of the transportation infrastructure in the network. This study focused on characterizing the traffic operations in overweight corridors and energy sector zones of South Texas in order to properly quantify the damage induced by overweight vehicles on the pavement structures. To achieve this, the Axle Load Spectra (ALS) database was developed through deployment …

Assessing Delamination Of Concrete Bridge Decks With Aging In Arid Regions Using Nondestructive Testing Methods, Melissa Escalante

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Bridge decks usually experience deterioration at a more rapid pace than other infrastructure components due to the heavy traffic loads and environmental conditions that the deck sustains. Delamination within concrete bridge decks accelerates due to water and deicing salts penetrating the concrete; resulting in the corrosion of reinforcing steel. The corrosion of rebar may result in a fracture parallel to the surface of the concrete structure at the top of the reinforcement layer. The delamination is then subjected to expansion over a large span; risking the overall stability of the structural element. Health monitoring of concrete bridge decks is therefore …