Digital Commons Network^™

Study Of The Performance Of Acoustic Barriers For Indiana Toll Roads, Sanghoon Suh, Luc Mongeau, J. Stuart Bolton

JTRP Technical Reports

The purpose of this study was to optimize the geometry and the acoustic properties of sound barriers for traffic noise applications. The approach consisted of developing and validating boundary element predictive models, which were subsequently exercised in order to refine the barrier characteristic and determine optimized configurations. The simple geometry of a circular disk was chosen to validate the boundary element model in the first part of this work. Experiments were performed in an anechoic chamber to validate the numerical model. Complex barrier geometries were then investigated to study the effects of geometry on sound barrier performance. Boundary element models …

Strengthening Of Deteriorating Decks Of Highway Bridges In Indiana Using Frpc, Elisa D. Sotelino, Ming-Hung Teng

JTRP Technical Reports

Many industries, such as the aerospace and the automotive industries have successfully used Fiber Reinforced Polymer Composites (FRPC). These types of composite materials offer significant advantages over conventional civil engineering materials, such as concrete and steel. This is due to their chemical and corrosion resistance, lightweight, and high strength, which make them attractive for the rehabilitation of civil infrastructures. The objective of this research project is to study the feasibility of using of FRP as a retrofit or construction material for bridge decks. This has been accomplished by means of a synthesis study. This study included a comprehensive literature review …

The Examination Of Infra-Red Techniques For Inspection Of Steel Structures I & Ii, Vachirapun Trakulyingyong, Mark D. Bowman

JTRP Technical Reports

Infra-red thermography systems that have been developed over the last few years offer great potential to locate and discover flaws in steel highway bridge structures at a relatively early stage in their development. Under ideal conditions, the use of infra-red instrumentation should allow bridge inspection personnel to rapidly scan the structure and determine if a potential structural problem has developed. If a problem spot is located by the infra-red camera, then the trouble spot can be examined carefully to determine the need for corrective maintenance. The primary purpose of this research study is to evaluate the accuracy and reliability of …

Updating Procedures To Estimate And Forecast Vehicle-Miles Traveled, Jon D. Fricker, Raymond K. Kumapley

JTRP Technical Reports

Procedures developed for the estimation of Vehicle-Miles of Travel (VMT) have been fraught with problems of inaccuracy. Emphasis on environmental issues (air quality), as mandated by current regulations (CAAA, ISTEA-91, and TEA 21), requires State DOTs to accurately estimate travel on their highway infrastructure. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has developed, and subsequently modified, the Highway Performance Monitoring System (HPMS) to assist in data collection and reporting. INDOT currently estimates VMT by a method that closely follows the HPMS method. Roads that are not on the state highway system (minor collectors, urban collectors and local) are not represented in the …

Validation, Calibration, And Evaluation Of Its Technologies On The Borman Corridor, Srinivas Peeta, Pengchang Zhang, Raghubhushan K. Pasupathy

JTRP Technical Reports

This study develops an Internet-based remote on-line traffic control architecture for route guidance in large-scale traffic systems equipped with advanced information systems and sensors. It also proposes to use the Beowulf Cluster paradigm as an economical, flexible, and customizable computing architecture to generate supercomputing capabilities within the control architecture. The Beowulf Cluster provides the enabling environment to execute and coordinate the activities of the various modules that address real-time network route guidance, data transmission, calibration and fault tolerance. In the context of large-scale traffic systems, a Beowulf Cluster can be configured in centralized as well as decentralized on-line control architectures …

Career Self-Efficacy In Women, Tammy L. Kirchhoff

Theses

Unavailable.

Virtual Weigh Station, John Gregory Green, Andrew P. Nichols, Ed Allen, Luke Nuber, Jose E. Thomaz, Darcy M. Bullock, Guy Boruff, Jay Wasson, Mark Newland

JTRP Technical Reports

Overweight trucks shorten highway life and indirectly increase the costs of maintaining roads. Improved methods for enforcement of commercial vehicle weight laws may increase the number of overweight vehicles caught, thereby prolonging highway life. Improved enforcement may also reduce the number of illegally operating vehicles. This report describes the concept of using existing INDOT Weigh-In-Motion equipment, a laptop computer, and wireless communication equipment, to develop a virtual weigh station screening tool. The Virtual Weigh Station screening tool developed in this project allows officers to read the weights of vehicles crossing WIM scales, in real time, in their patrol cars. Giving …

Worker Exposure To Airborne Contaminates When Using Waste Foundry Sand In The Construction Of Road Embankments, Waseem Afzal, Robert Bertram Jacko

JTRP Technical Reports

A section of road was constructed in Northeastern Indiana in the summer of 1996 using waste foundry sand as the embankment construction material. Initial testing on the waste sand had determined no detrimental health effects. However, it was observed during construction that once the sand had dried, tire-road interaction raised copious clouds of black dust. This led to worker concern regarding airborne silica and silicosis. This study aimed at determining whether the threat of overexposure to airborne crystalline silica existed in regard to Occupation Health and Safety Administration’s (OSHA) Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL). Experiments carried out at the Auburn Foundry …

Social Cognition: The Impact Of Gender And Leadership Surrounding Groupthink In Conjunction With Foreign Policy Decision-Making, Maggie E. Kuehner

Theses

This thesis surrounds social cognition seen within group dynamics. Specifically, focusing on the study of decision - making and the impact gender and leadership styles has upon groups under risk involved decision - making. Th.is type of decision-making is generally seen with corporate committees and members involved in the formation of foreign policy.

Research has attributed to reprehensible historical :fiascoes to faulty group decision - making. Due to this notion, it is imperative to hone in on the cognitive process and the possible factors that act as antecedents to errors in judgement seen in groups.

Many results remain inconclusive when …

Wetland Replacement Practices And Procedures For Indiana Highway Projects, James E. Alleman, Steve M. Graves

JTRP Technical Reports

It is estimated that Indiana has already lost more than 80% of its original, native wetlands, and concerns have been expressed that some fraction, and perhaps even a sizable fraction, of these losses can be historically linked to highway construction associated with INDOT-related activities. These wetlands are important for several reasons, in that they help keep ground water and surface water clean, serve as reservoirs for floodwaters, help recharge groundwater, provide habitats for many species of animals, and serve as recreational areas. This underlying concern behind this accusation, therefore, is that the construction of state and federal roads historically carried …

Lawyers And The Practice Of Workplace Equity, Susan Sturm

Faculty Scholarship

Lawyers involved in the pursuit of workplace equity are difficult to pigeon-hole. Of course, the practice of many employment lawyers conforms to conventional understandings of lawyers' roles. These lawyers litigate cases on behalf of management or employees, advise clients about their legal rights and obligations, and define their mission as avoiding liability or winning battles in court.But innovators have crafted interesting and dynamic roles that transcend the traditional paradigm. These innovators connect law, as it is traditionally understood, to the resolution of the underlying problems that create and maintain workplace inequity. Civil rights lawyers working in both public and private …

The Rise And Fall Of Article 2, Robert E. Scott

Faculty Scholarship

In August 13,2001 the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws voted eighty-nine to fifty-three to reject the Amendments to Article 2 of the Uniform Commercial Code that had just been approved in May by the American Law Institute. The vote followed a last minute effort by the Article 2 drafting committee to amend the scope provisions of Article 2 in response to continuing criticism from representatives of the software and information industries. Several months later, at the request of the NCCUSL leadership, amended Article 2 with its revised scope provision was withdrawn from the agenda of the ALI …

Relationship Between Insomnia And Job Satisfaction, Stacy Lynn Taylor

Theses

The disorder of insomnia is seriously effecting every aspect of people's lives including job satisfaction. This study examines the relationship between insomnia and job satisfaction. Subjects for this study included 30 previously diagnosed insomniacs and 30 non-insomniac graduate students. The subjects were asked to complete the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire- short form and demographic sheet. Pearson Chi-square tests were performed to explore possible relationships. There were no statistically significant relationships found between insomnia and the dependent variables of job satisfaction and job stress.

Wetlands Replacement Practices And Procedures For Indiana Highway Projects, James E. Alleman, Steve M. Graves

JTRP Technical Reports

It is estimated that Indiana has already lost more than 80% of its original, native wetlands, and concerns have been expressed that some fraction, and perhaps even a sizable fraction, of these losses can be historically linked to highway construction associated with INDOT-related activities. These wetlands are important for several reasons, in that they help keep ground water and surface water clean, serve as reservoirs for floodwaters, help recharge groundwater, provide habitats for many species of animals, and serve as recreational areas. This underlying concern behind this accusation, therefore, is that the construction of state and federal roads historically carried …

Use Of Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement (Rap) Under Superpave Specifications: A Regional Pooled Fund Project, Rebecca Mcdaniel, Hamid Soleymani, Ayesha Shah

JTRP Technical Reports

This regional pooled fund project was conducted to investigate the performance of Superpave asphalt mixtures incorporating RAP. This study was closely coordinated with a national study on the same topic (NCHRP 9-12, Incorporation of Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement in the Superpave System). Specifically, this regional project looked at typical materials from the North Central United States to determine if the findings of NCHRP 9-12 were valid for Midwestern materials and to expand the NCHRP findings to include higher RAP contents.

Three RAP materials from Indiana, Michigan and Missouri were evaluated. Mixtures were designed and tested in the laboratory with each RAP, …

Guidelines For Use And Types Of Retaining Devices, Antonio Bobet

JTRP Technical Reports

A large number of types of retaining devices are currently available but their limitations, recommendations and guidelines are scattered in the technical literature. A synthesis study has been made in which different technologies have been investigated to develop guidelines for the use of the different types of retaining devices. For this purpose, an extensive literature review has been performed and a new classification has been proposed. An electronic database with 207 selected cases from the technical literature and INDOT archives has been created. The database stores the following information: (1) Type of Retaining Device; (2) Geometry (3) Soil conditions; (4) …

Improving Efficiency Of Indot Traffic Data Collection Using Gps Devices, Shuo Li, Karen Zhu, Boudewijn H. W. Van Gelder, John Nagle, Carl Tuttle

JTRP Technical Reports

INDOT has utilized many new technologies to reduce travel delay, mitigate traffic congestion, and enhance public and employees’ safety. Many projects are underway, including re-timing of most existing traffic signals and pavement maintenance and rehabilitation. To evaluate signal system performance, prioritize alternatives of improvement, conduct before and after studies and investigate work zone safety, it requires a large amount of traffic data such as travel time, speed and delay. Issues, such as safety, efficiency and cost, may arise associated with the current methods. For the current manual or automatic data collection, it usually requires two operators, a driver and a …

Influence Of Curing Conditions On Strength Properties And Maturity Development Of Concrete, Scott Andrew Newbolds, Jan Olek

JTRP Technical Reports

In this study, the results of both laboratory studies and a field study, conducted to evaluate the effects of different curing conditions on the strength properties and maturity development of pavement concrete, are presented. Further, a laboratory study was performed to evaluate the maturity concept in relation to the degree of hydration of cement. Concrete specimens, beams and cylinders, were prepared in the field study. The specimens in the field were cured in one of four curing conditions: lime bath, sandpit, air, or by temperature match curing. Specimens were tested for flexural strength and compressive strength, respectively. The temperature of …

Internet-Supported Evaluation Of Highway Safety, Andrzej P. Tarko, Brian Desalle

JTRP Technical Reports

Few current methods of identifying hazardous locations take into account the perspective of highway users. It is generally accepted by human factor experts that user feedback can provide valuable insight into safety at highway locations that is not obtainable through the use of crash data. However, little research has been conducted in the highway transportation area, and the relationship between user perception and actual safety at a location is not well known. Currently, motorist feedback in Indiana is gathered by individual highway agencies through the use of a phone and mail collection process. A centralized feedback collection would not only …

Load Tests On Pipe Piles For Development Of Cpt-Based Design Method, Kwangkyum Kim, Rodrigo Salgado, Junhwan Lee, Kyuho Paik

JTRP Technical Reports

This research focused on the drivability and load-carrying capacity of both open and closed-ended steel pipe piles. Two pipe piles (one open-ended, the other closed-ended) were installed in a sandy soil to the same depth. The site was extensively characterized. SPT and CPT tests were performed both before and after pile installation. A variety of soil indices and shear strength parameters (such as the constant-volume friction angle) were measured in the laboratory. The piles were fully instrumented, permitting separate measurement of shaft and base capacity for the closed-ended pile and shaft, annulus and soil plug capacities for the open-ended pile. …

Mid-Panel Cracking Of Portland Cement Concrete Pavements In Indiana, Hung-Ming Chen, Yunus Dere, Elisa D. Sotelino, Graham C. Archer

JTRP Technical Reports

Portland cement concrete slabs are a common form of highway pavements in Indiana. As a result of their widespread use, the economic impact of their maintenance and life span is therefore tremendous. In Indiana, these types of pavements have been experiencing premature random transverse mid-panel cracking. This phenomenon has been observed under a variety of environmental and traffic conditions. Also, it has been found that the cracking occurs in conjunction with the opening of the lanes to traffic, within months of construction. In this project, a research synthesis was carried out to determine exactly what the current state of knowledge …

Prescriptions For The Top Five Problem Areas Of Corporate Teams: A Blueprint For Success, James B. Wilson

Theses

This thesis will focus on five top problem areas corporate teams face in regards to effective teamwork and how those areas can be remedied.

Research has revealed five top problem areas: personality conflicts, confused goals, depleted trust, mismatched needs, and leadership failure. These areas consistently challenge those entities where corporate teams are present.

Since the Industrial Revolution work groups, their individual components, and relevant external forces, have been scrutinized by psychologists, sociologists, behaviorists, and business consultants. Many researchers have learned (sometimes by accident) how perception, communication, and commitment can have a direct affect upon teamwork. Through trial and error, corporations …

Effects Of Heavier Truck Loadings And Super-Single Tires On Subgrades, Rodrigo Salgado, Daehyeon Kim

JTRP Technical Reports

Due to their efficiency and economy, super-single tires have gradually been replacing conventional dual tires in the trucking industry. According to recent studies, super-single tires generate much higher vertical contact stresses than do conventional dual tires, resulting in larger deformations and more severe damage to the subgrade. In order to better assess the higher stresses generated by super-single tires and their effect on the subgrade, analyses are done taking into account soil plasticity rather than simple elastic analysis. In this study, the effects of super-single tires on subgrades for typical road cross-sections are investigated using plane-strain (2D) and 3D static …

Effectiveness Of The Borman Expressway Its Program On Local Air Quality, Timothy M. Labreche, Robert Bertram Jacko, Barry K. Partridge, William H. Schneider, Ahmed S. Soliman

JTRP Technical Reports

Particulate Matter less than 2.5 μm in diameter (PM2.5), carbon monoxide (CO), and meteorological parameters were monitored at 10 second averaging intervals adjacent the Borman Expressway in Northwestern Indiana before and during the implementation of an Intelligent Transportation System. Traffic data was collected from sensors on the expressway. The high-resolution data permitted the expressway contribution to local air quality to be separated from background components of local air quality and significant correlations were made between pollutant flux and traffic flow and pollutant flux and highway occupancy. Traffic incidents (accidents / congestion) were shown to have a rapid impact on local …

Evaluation Of Selected Video Detection Systems At Signalized Intersections, Jeromy L. Grenard, Darcy M. Bullock, Andrzej P. Tarko

JTRP Technical Reports

Video detection technologies have been emerging in recent years as a viable alternative to inductive loop detectors to actuate intersection signal controllers. There is a need for quantitative evaluation procedures for documenting the performance of video detection technologies. This quantitative data is needed to qualify systems for procurement and provide benchmarks for training traffic signal technicians that deploy and maintain these systems. This research makes use of two new evaluation procedures for video detection, with several measures of performance. The first of these evaluation procedures involves the comparison of the occupancy times of inductive loop detectors and video detectors to …

Fatigue Behavior Of Beam Diaphragm Connections With Intermittent Fillet Welds: Part Ii, Brittle Fracture Examination Of The I-64 Blue River Bridge, Mark D. Bowman

JTRP Technical Reports

This report is the second of a two-part, three volume final report presenting the findings of the research work that was undertaken to evaluate the behavior of Indiana highway bridges with diaphragm members welded directly to the web of the primary beams and girders. Fatigue cracks have been observed at several bridges that utilize the welded diaphragm connection. The seriousness of the cracking and the corresponding potential risk on the integrity of the bridge superstructure were assessed. Inspection and repair guidelines for bridges with the welded diaphragm connections were also developed as part of the research effort. This volume presents …

Fatigue Behavior Of Beam Diaphragm Connections With Intermittent Fillet Welds, Part I, Volume 1, Field Evaluation, Tammy L. Canna, Mark D. Bowman

JTRP Technical Reports

This report is the first of a two-part, three volume final report presenting the findings of the research work that was undertaken to evaluate the behavior of Indiana highway bridges with diaphragm members welded directly to the web of the primary beams and girders. Fatigue cracks have been observed at several bridges that utilize the welded diaphragm connection. The seriousness of the cracking and the corresponding potential risk on the integrity of the bridge superstructure were assessed. Inspection and repair guidelines for bridges with the welded diaphragm connections were also developed as part of the research effort. This volume presents …

Noise Control And Speech Intelligibility Improvement Of A Toll Plaza, Luc Mongeau, Robert J. Bernhard, Jeffery P. Feist

JTRP Technical Reports

Vehicular toll roads are one component of many municipal transportation systems. Open communication windows, often used in tollbooths, facilitate essential communication and monetary transactions. However, the vehicle noise generated outside the booth is easily transmitted into the booth via the open window. Personnel working at toll collection plazas are exposed to extended, continuous traffic noise. Sustained noise levels of this nature may cause hearing loss, induce fatigue or stress, and reduce worker productivity. The annoyance and discomfort related to continuous noise exposure may create an unpleasant working condition and may affect the hospitality of the tollbooth operators and their attitude …

Performance-Related Specifications For Concrete Bridge Superstructures, Volume 1: Performance Parameters And Related Procedure For Concrete Bridge Superstructures, J. A. Ramirez, Jhon Paul Smith

JTRP Technical Reports

In Volume 1 of the final report, the identification of performance levels and parameters, and the development of acceptance criteria, have been addressed. Emphasis has been placed on the development of a methodology for a Performance Related Specification, PRS, for concrete bridge superstructures. The implementation of the methodology, presented in the form of a user-friendly computer program, is project specific. It requires the mean and standard deviation (or definition of a probability distribution) of the input parameters for the performance predictive models. This is done for both the as-designed condition and the as-built condition of the structure. The contractor is …

Performance-Related Specifications For Concrete Bridge Superstructures, Volume 4: Bond Of Epoxy-Coated Bars With Thicker Coatings, J. A. Ramirez, Michael K. Appelhans

JTRP Technical Reports

In Volume 4 of the final report, the results of an evaluation of the bond performance of epoxy-coated bars with a coating thickness up to 18 mils are presented. The experimental work on the bond performance of epoxy-coated bars with thickness up to 18 mils indicates that the current AASHTO requirements for development length of epoxy-coated bars up to #8 could be safely extended to coating thickness of up to 18 mils. Thus, no change to the bond specifications is recommended in order to implement the use of bars with diameters up to a #8 with epoxy-coating thickness up to …