Engineering Commons^™

Kentucky Highway Rating System, Doug Kreis, Lenahan O'Connell

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

This study had two goals: 1. Formulate a new method for generating roadway adequacy ratings; 2. Construct an appropriate data set and then test the method by comparing it to the results of the HPMS-AP method. The recommended methodology builds on the previous methodology, the HPMS-AP. However, the recommended differs from the HPMS-AP in that it incorporates crash data into the adequacy rating and increases the relative weight given to indicators of roadway safety for the appropriate functional classification of highways. The software for the proposed highway rating system is in a format that permits "what if" scenarios. The comparison …

Maintenance Painting Of Various Bridge Projects During 2001-2002: Kentucky Highway Investigative Task 42, Rick Younce, Sudhir Palle, Theodore Hopwood Ii

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

The Kentucky Transportation Center (KTC) at the University of Kentucky has performed a series of research studies for the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) to monitor various experimental bridge painting projects and conduct investigative work focusing on new paint systems. The research study addressed in this report “Maintenance Painting of Various Bridge Projects During 2001-2002” Kentucky Highways Investigative Task No: 42 were intended to address experimental projects in fiscal years 2001 and 2002.

KTC and KYTC Project Design Team’s joint efforts in 2000 into early 2001 centered on the preparation of experimental bridge maintenance painting special notes, preliminary field testing/development of …

Environmental Impacts Of Bridge Cleaning Operations, Theodore Hopwood Ii, Sudhir Palle, Rick Younce

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

Cleaning (washing) operations of existing leaded paints on bridges were studied to determine the level of lead contamination in the resulting wastewater. Twelve experimental overcoating projects were let on bridges with various types of existing paint in varying states of deterioration. The projects employed different washing pressures ranging from 2500 psi to 10000 psi and various wash nozzles (fan and 0o spinner tips). KYTC standard filtration was used on 10 projects and 2 projects used an experimental filtration unit having a sand filter and two types of chemical filter media.

Prior to painting, the existing paint was analyzed for thickness, …

Analysis Of Field Permeability And Laboratory Shear Stress For Western Kentucky Parkway, Milepost 18.240 To Milepost 25.565, Caldwell-Hopkins Counties, David L. Allen

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

This report lists and discusses results of field permeability tests and laboratory shear tests on samples from a construction project on the Western Kentucky Parkway in Caldwell-Hopkins Counties. Approximately 6,500 tons of asphaltic concrete overlay placed on this project failed to meet minimum density requirements.

Field permeability tests were performed and the results showed that in areas where the mat failed to meet density requirements there was very high permeability in those locations.

The laboratory shear tests also showed that there was a direct relationship between shear strength and density. A linear elastic layer stress analysis also indicated that the …

Development Of A Statewide Landslide Inventory Program, Tommy C. Hopkins, Tony L. Beckham, Liecheng Sun, Barry Butcher

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

Development of a comprehensive geotechnical database for risk management of highway landslide problems is described. Computer software selected to program the client/server application in a data window, components and structure of the geotechnical database, and some of the primary factors considered in constructing the database are discussed. In the establishment of a large database that will be used widely, it is extremely important to select development software that will allow simultaneous use of the database by numerous users. Major integrated components of the database include landslide, rock slope, and soil and rock engineering data. This report mainly focuses on the …

Development And Evaluation Of A Tie-Down System For The Redesigned F-Shape Concrete Temporary Barrier, Karla A. Polivka, Ronald K. Faller, John R. Rohde, James C. Holloway, Bob W. Bielenberg, Dean L. Sicking

Mid-America Transportation Center: Final Reports and Technical Briefs

Often, temporary barriers are used in applications where it is desired that their deflection during vehicular impact be limited. One such application is in the installation of temporary barriers placed adjacent to the edge of a concrete bridge deck in order to maximize lane width. Acceptable tie-down systems for temporary barriers have previously been developed, but there are concerns when the barriers and tie-down systems are used on bridges that are reconstructed in stages and where very little tolerance in barrier deflection is allowable. Therefore, a rigid tie-down system was developed that minimizes barrier deflections. For this system, the original …

Safety Performance Evaluation Of Michigan’S 4x5 Portable Sign Support, Ronald K. Faller, James C. Holloway, John R. Rohde, Dean L. Sicking

Mid-America Transportation Center: Final Reports and Technical Briefs

A wide variety of traffic controlling devices are used in work zones, some of which are not normally found on the roadside or in the traveled way outside of the work zones. These devices are used to enhance the safety of the work zones by controlling the traffic through these areas. Due to the placement of the traffic control devices, the devices themselves may be potentially hazardous to both workers and errant vehicles. The impact performance of many work-zone traffic control devices is mainly unknown and to date limited crash testing has been conducted, under the criteria of National Cooperative …

Performance Analysis Of Welch Products Recycled Rubber Spacer Block, Bob W. Bielenberg, Ronald K. Faller

Mid-America Transportation Center: Final Reports and Technical Briefs

The Midwest Roadside Safety Facility was contracted by Will Stein of the Iowa Department of Transportation to conduct dynamic bogie testing of a recyclable rubber guardrail spacer block manufactured by Welch Products, Inc. The scope of the work included the setup of both a standard, wood guardrail post blockout and the Welch Products recycled rubber blockout on a standard W150x13.5 steel post, as well as two component tests using a bogie vehicle. The bogie tests were conducted in accordance with previously accepted procedures to evaluate the performance of guardrail post blockouts made of non-standard materials.

Development Of Standards For Placement Of Steel Guardrail Posts In Rock, Jason Herr, John R. Rohde, Dean L. Sicking, John D. Reid, Ronald K. Faller, James C. Holloway, Brian A. Coon, Karla A. Polivka

Mid-America Transportation Center: Final Reports and Technical Briefs

A steel post W-beam guardrail system was developed for installation in rock-soil foundations. The guardrail system was constructed with a 2.66-mm (12-gauge) thick W-beam rail, 53.34 m in length. The W-beam guardrail was supported by twenty-seven W152x13.4 by 1,346-mm long steel posts, spaced at 1,905 mm on center. The posts were installed in drilled holes in concrete, constructed by drilling three 203-mm diameter holes on 165- mm centers to a depth of 610 mm. The drilled holes were backfilled with compacted ASTM C33 coarse aggregate, size no. 57.

One full-scale vehicle crash test, using a 3⁄4-ton pickup truck, was performed …

Roadway Related Tort Liability And Risk Management: 5th Edition, Kenneth R. Agent, Daniel S. Turner

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

This training material has been prepared to address the tort liability problems faced by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet and Kentucky local governments. The manual defines the problem by reviewing the national picture of generally growing numbers of suits and escalating financial losses from suits against highway agencies.

The manual also sets out solutions, and reviews actions, which can decrease the exposure of highway agencies to these suits. This risk management concept is emphasized throughout the manual.

Guidelines For Attachments To Bridge Rails And Median Barriers, Eric A. Keller, Dean L. Sicking, Ronald K. Faller, Karla A. Polivka

Mid-America Transportation Center: Final Reports and Technical Briefs

Highway agencies are often presented with the need to add attachments of various configurations to the top or backside of crashworthy traffic barriers. Although, the National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Report No. 350 offers guidance for the safety performance evaluation of traffic barriers, it offers no guidance toward the evaluation of attachments on or near these barriers. The objective of the research project was to collect crash test data relating to bridge rails and median barriers, to collect information about common attachments to traffic barriers, and to evaluate this information for the purpose of developing guidelines for the design …

Development Of A Low-Profile Bridge Rail For Test Level 2 Applications, Karla A. Polivka, Ronald K. Faller, Dean L. Sicking, John R. Rohde, John D. Reid, James C. Holloway

Mid-America Transportation Center: Final Reports and Technical Briefs

A low-profile bridge rail was developed for installations where pedestrians and/or site restrictions prevent the use of conventional bridge rails with transitions. The bridge rail design was constructed using a 22.86-m long reinforced concrete parapet. The entire system measured 508-mm high by 356-mm and 279-mm wide at the top and bottom surfaces, respectively.

The research study included one full-scale vehicle crash test, using a 3⁄4-ton pickup truck. The full- scale test, impacting at a speed of 70.0 km/hr and an angle of 27.1 degrees, was conducted and reported in accordance with the requirements specified in National Cooperative Highway Research Program …

Bridge Rails And Transitions For Pedestrian Protection, Nicholas R. Hiser, Ronald K. Faller, Dean L. Sicking, John R. Rohde, John D. Reid, Karla A. Polivka

Mid-America Transportation Center: Final Reports and Technical Briefs

It is desirable to protect pedestrians on bridges from motor vehicles. However, transition problems arise at the ends of bridges where the bridge rail, bridge rail end treatment, and pedestrian walkway compete for the limited available space. The objective of this study was to identify the most common scenarios in which the protection of pedestrians on bridges is desirable, and then to develop bridge rail and bridge rail end treatment configurations to accommodate those situations. The objective was achieved by performing a field investigation, a survey of state transportation agencies, and a literature review. Recommendations for the placement and general …

Application Of Robustness Analysis For Developing A Procedure For Better Urban Transportation Planning Decisions, Deogratias Eustace, Eugene R. Russell, E. Dean Landman

Civil and Environmental Engineering and Engineering Mechanics Faculty Publications

This paper shows that robustness analysis is a technique with a potential for aiding decision makers in choosing transportation investment projects. In this paper, it has been demonstrated that it can be successfully used in urban transportation planning in conjunction with urban travel demand software. The robustness analysis procedure emphasizes the need, under conditions of uncertainty, to make early decisions in a time-phased sequence, while preserving future options that currently seem attractive. The results of the robustness analysis from the case study used in this paper indicate that the method is simple to understand, easy to use, minimizes future surprises …

Advanced Water Distribution Modeling And Management, Thomas M. Walski, Donald V. Chase, Dragan A. Savic, Walter Grayman, Stephen Beckwith, Edmundo Koelle

Civil and Environmental Engineering and Engineering Mechanics Faculty Publications

Advanced Water Distribution Modeling and Management builds on Haestad Press’ Water Distribution Modeling book. Addressing the modeling process from data collection to application, Advanced Water Distribution Modeling and Management adds extensive material from an international team of experts from both academia and consulting firms and includes topics such as:

• In-depth coverage of optimization techniques for model calibration, system design, and pump operations.
• Advanced water quality modeling topics including tank mixing, water quality solution algorithms, sampling techniques, tracer studies, tank design, and maintenance of adequate disinfectant residuals.
• Integration of SCADA systems with water distribution modeling for estimating model demands, initial conditions, …

Academic Fleet Renewal- Two Years Later, Larry Atkinson

CCPO Publications

(First paragraph) In November 2000, I wrote a Soapbox article on fleet renewal for Sea Technology. It is a little unsettling to see how slowly ideas move towards implementation. Nevertheless, we are making progress. In this editorial I will note a bit of that progress and try to guess where we will be in two more years.

Investigation Of Soluble Salts On Kentucky Bridges, Sudhir Palle, Rick Younce, Theodore Hopwood Ii

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

Invisible soluble salts present on steel highway structures can act to promote corrosion even after maintenance painting. Soluble salts include chloride, nitrate and sulfate ions. Soluble salts found on bridge decks and roadways are the result of usage of deicing salts (chlorides), and the deposition of atmospheric pollution (nitrates and sulfates) on exterior surfaces. Typical pollution-related sources of soluble salts are coal-fired power plants, refineries, farming operations, vehicle emissions, and chemical plants. Sites for soluble salt damage on bridges include:

• Beam ends under open or leaking expansion joints,
• Flanges and lower portions of webs of overpass structures,
• Lower chords and …

Potential For Use Of Sand In Road Construction In Dar Es Salaam And Coast Regions, Mfinanga A

Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology (TJET)

Coarse aggregates for use in road construction in Dar es Salaam and Coast regions are becoming increasingly scarce and expensive while sand, which is cheaper, is readily available in the two regions. This research aimed at evaluating the possibility of using quarry sands in the two regions as a major constituent material in bituminous road pavement layers. First, the use of sand in sand-bitumen bases for low and medium trafficked roads was studied. The study then continued with the preliminary evaluation of the possible use of the sands in hot rolled asphalt mixes. Results show that Mbagala sand can be …

Sustainable Data Acquisition Methods For Road Maintenance Management In Developing Countries, N. K.M. Mushule

Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology (TJET)

Whilst it may be argued that manual methods of pavement data collection are subjective, unsafe, involve high personnel costs and have low repeatability, the initial costs of acquiring automated systems coupled with the technology required to operate and maintain them can be prohibitive for most developing countries. Moreover, automatic measurement of surface distress has proved to be a difficult challenge to instrument designers. In many cases, manual methods are the only ones that can be employed. A research project was carried out to design a sustainable data collection scheme for network level management system for developing countries. A simple procedure …

A Method For Modeling Low-Probability, High- Consequence Risk Events: Vessel Traffic On The Lower Mississippi River, George Wooddell, Robert Gramling, Craig J. Forsyth

The University of New Hampshire Law Review

[Excerpt] "A variety of commodities, from chlorine to corn and petroleum to passengers, are transported on the lower Mississippi River regularly. Corn, wheat and coal are the most commonly carried commodities. From a human health and safety perspective, these are relatively benign products in that a vessel accident and spill of these are not directly hazardous to people, whatever other ecological disturbances may ensue. However, over eighty million tons of petroleum products are transported on the river annually. Over a million tons of liquid natural gas traverse the river through the center of New Orleans. Additionally, over 400,000 tons of …

Ground Penetrating Radar: "Pavement Layer Thickness Evaluation", David A. Willett, Brad Rister

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

The following report demonstrates the accuracy of using Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) to determine both the surface layer thickness for asphalt, and concrete pavements. In addition tests were conducted to identify GPR’s repeatability on dry pavements, GPR’s ability to determine pavement layer thicknesses in wet conditions, and an attempt was made to determine the number of actual field cores necessary to accurately post-process radar data into thickness values.

The equipment used to perform these evaluations was Geophysical Survey Systems Inc.’s model SIR 10B with the model 4108 (1 GHz.) air-launched horn antenna.

Preliminary results indicate that when ground truth cores …

Evaluation Of Post-Interchange Guide Signs, Monica L. Barrett, Jerry G. Pigman, Ronald E. Langley

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

There are four basic types of guide signs related to tourist and recreational facilities, each with its own requirements and purpose. These include limited supplemental guide signs, cultural and recreational supplemental guide signs, fifth legend logos, and tourist oriented directional signs. Under the category of limited supplemental guide signs is a new pilot program to include a similar type sign at 10- and 20-mile points before an interchange. These signs are called post-interchange guide signs.

This report evaluates these experimental post-interchange guide signs. This evaluation included a before and after study of crash information including total numbers and trends, a …

Assessment Of The 1997 Commodity Flow Survey For State-Level Freight Transportation Planning, Darren M. Scott

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

Urban travel demand modeling in the United States has a rich history in both practice and academic research. The same cannot be said, however, of freight demand modeling despite the intermodel planning requirements of IS TEA and TEA21. In most instances, agencies responsible for state transportation planning (e.g. Kentucky Transportation Cabinet) have applied, in a limited way, the methodology developed for urban travel demand modeling (i.e., Urban Transportation Modeling System or UTMS 1) to the freight arena (see, for example, Black 1997). Obviously, this methodological similarity implies that the fundamental data requirements for both types of demand modeling are also …

Evaluation Of Kentucky’S You Drink And Drive. You Lose”, Kenneth R. Agent, Eric R. Green, Ronald E. Langley

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

Alcohol and drug related crashes continue to be one of the highest priority problem identification areas and considerable emphasis is being placed on programs to impact those types of crashes. Various types of campaigns have been used over the years in an attempt to reduce the number of alcohol-related crashes. Kentucky was selected within the Southeast Region of the United States by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to conduct a comprehensive impaired driving campaign entitled “You Drink & Drive. You Lose”. The campaign was conducted around the 2002 Labor Day holiday. The objective of this report was to document …

Seat Belt Use Compliance In Kansas, Deogratias Eustace, Teresa M. C. Bartel

Civil and Environmental Engineering and Engineering Mechanics Faculty Publications

Passenger vehicle occupant restraints are regarded as the easiest and the most effective way of reducing the number of highway fatalities. Strong vehicle occupant protection enforcement laws are regarded as the most effective way to increase seat belt use. The increase in restraint use in the United States and other countries has been largely attributed to mandatory seat belt use legislation. Many fatalities and injuries in motor vehicle crashes could be avoided if more passengers used their seat belts. Studies have shown that primary laws have been more effective in seat belt use compliance than secondary laws. Also, legislation has …

Experimental Maintenance Painting Of I-65 In Louisville (Fr 108), Rick Younce, Theodore Hopwood Ii, Sudhir Palle

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

I-65 project in downtown Louisville consisted of 27 bridges having approximately 1,493,100 ft2 of steel. The structures had existing coatings that contained lead. The project posed significant operational and public safety and operational constraints due to close proximity of the structures with residences and businesses along the entire route. In 2000, the Central Office Project Design Team developed experimental specifications to abrasive blast and re-paint the bridges. Surface preparation procedures included solvent cleaning, pack rust removal and abrasive blast cleaning. Containment enclosures were employed throughout the project, air monitoring was performed to assure satisfactory containment, and hazardous wastes were collected …

Safety Evaluation Of New Roads, Kenneth R. Agent, Jerry G. Pigman

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

The primary objective of this research study was to evaluate the crash history of bypass routes to determine if there were unusual patterns or changes in the crash history on these routes over the first years of operation. The focus of the evaluation was to collect data at bypass routes opened in recent years in Kentucky. Crash patterns were summarized with recommendations made for countermeasures to reduce the probability of crashes, specifically at intersections, with an emphasis on the early stages of operation. The literature was reviewed, crash data were obtained at nine case study bypasses, and discussions were held …

Experimental Maintenance Painting On Various Bridge Painting Projects (Kentucky Highway Investigative Task No: 31), Sudhir Palle, Theodore Hopwood Ii

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

The Kentucky Transportation Center (KTC) at the University of Kentucky conducted a research study with the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) to monitor various experimental bridge painting projects. The research study Kentucky Highways Investigative Task (KHIT) No: 31 “Experimental Maintenance Painting on Various Bridge Projects During 1997-1998” covered experimental bridge projects completed through the FY 1997 and FY 1998 painting seasons (April 1 through November 15) were monitored and reported. The objectives of the research study were to:

• assess the condition of the existing paint on bridge prior to maintenance painting,
• monitor the project throughout completion,
• note problems and their resolution, …

Documentation Of Context-Sensitive Design Case Studies, Jerry G. Pigman, Donald L. Hartman, Nikiforos Stamatiadis, Lisa Aultman-Hall, Sally G. Oldham

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

A major challenge for many current transportation projects is to plan, design and build to create a solution which will not only address the planning and engineering requirements, but also satisfy the human and natural environmental issues related to a specific project. Occasional projects of this type have been designed and built for many years, typically when there have been few alternatives otherwise. A key component to these types of projects has been a greater level of community interest and public involvement. Initial efforts to introduce the concept of increased sensitivity to community interests and the natural environment was labeled …

Flexural Behavior Of R/C Beams Strengthened With Cfrp Sheets Or Fabric, P. Alagusundaramoorthy, Issam E. Harik, Ching Chiaw Choo

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

The resistance to electro-chemical corrosion, high-strength to weight ratio, larger creep strain, fatigue resistance, non-magnetic and non-metallic properties of carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) composites offer a viable alternative to bonding of steel plates in repair and rehabilitation of reinforced concrete structures. The objective of this investigation is to study the effectiveness of externally bonded CFRP sheets or fabric in increasing the flexural strength of concrete beams. Four-point bending flexural tests are conducted up to failure on nine concrete beams strengthened with different layouts of CFRP sheets and fabric, and three beams with different layouts of anchored CFRP sheets. An …