Engineering Commons^™

Pilot Study On Improving Crash Data Accuracy In Kentucky Through University Collaboration, Michael A. Fields, Eric Green, Robert Kluger, Xu Zhang, Kirolos Haleem

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

Without high-quality crash data and robust interpretive/analytical tools to analyze these data, transportation agencies will struggle to develop evidence-based strategies for improving road safety. Crash narratives are one element of crash reports that pose especially acute interpretive challenges. These narratives supplement coded data and give an account of incidents authored by responding law enforcement officers. Despite their value, conducting manual reviews of the 150,000+ crash reports and narratives issued in Kentucky each year is not feasible. To address this challenge, reviewers examined approximately 8,000 crash narratives from calendar year 2020 using a proprietary web-based quality control tool to identify discrepancies …

Advancing Universal Id Through Demonstration Of Enabling Technologies, Joseph Crabtree, Andrew Martin, Jeeyen Koo, Brian Beaven

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

The purpose of this project was to install, demonstrate, and evaluate two candidate technologies that could be used to achieve “Universal ID” (i.e., having a unique, electronically readable identifier on every commercial motor vehicle in the United States). The two technologies selected for this demonstration represent (1) a potential low-cost near-term solution (simple RFID tags and roadside readers) and (2) a potential future solution that leverages technology that is anticipated to be installed on all future vehicles to support a variety of connected-vehicle (CV) applications. For this demonstration project, both types of roadside reader technology were installed at three existing …

Containerization Of Seafarers In The International Shipping Industry: Contemporary Seamanship, Maritime Social Infrastructures, And Mobility Politics Of Global Logistics, Liang Wu

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This dissertation discusses the mobility politics of container shipping and argues that technological development, political-economic order, and social infrastructure co-produce one another. Containerization, the use of standardized containers to carry cargo across modes of transportation that is said to have revolutionized and globalized international trade since the late 1950s, has served to expand and extend the power of international coalitions of states and corporations to control the movements of commodities (shipments) and labor (seafarers). The advent and development of containerization was driven by a sociotechnical imaginary and international social contract of seamless shipping and cargo flows. In practice, this liberal, …

Beneath I-280: Excavating A Neighborhood Lost To San José Freeways, Leila Ullmann, Gordon Douglas

Mineta Transportation Institute

Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, thousands of people in San José, California were displaced from their homes as the state used eminent domain to purchase land and uproot neighborhoods for the construction of Interstate freeways. This report presents a multifaceted research and public knowledge effort that uncovers some of the communities buried beneath these freeways, in the area where I-280 and CA-87 meet today near downtown San José. The project builds primarily from previously unprocessed California Department of Transportation (CalTrans) archival documents, which this project studies for the first time. The records are rich in detail about valuation and sale …

Laboratory Evaluation Of Warm Mix Additives At Lower Than Traditional Compaction Temperatures, Abdelrahman Mahmoud Waheish Ali

Theses and Dissertations

The study aims to evaluate the impact of warm mix additives (WMA) on the rheological and performance properties of asphalt binders and mixtures. For this purpose, PG 76-28 and PG 58-28 were obtained with one organic (Sasobit Redux) and three chemical WMA (Rediset, Evotherm, and Zycotherm). All WMA-modified asphalt binders were aged at three different aging levels. Laboratory tests such as performance grade (PG), critical temperature differential (ΔTc), asphalt binder cracking device (ABCD), linear amplitude sweep test (LAS), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) were performed. In addition to the binder testing plan, this study also evaluated the impact of …

Research On Orthogonal Test Of Mgo-Fiber Cement Soil′S Deformation Modulus, Hu Qizhi, Yu Yang, Ma Qiang, Zhuang Xinshan

Journal of China & Foreign Highway

Appropriate amounts of MgO and fiber can improve the compressive strength of cement soil. In order to further study the mechanical properties of MGO-fiber cement soil, Minitab software was used to design an orthogonal test method, and sensitivity analysis and influence analysis were carried out. The change rules of deformation modulus of MgO content, fiber content, and fiber length were studied at three different levels. The regression equations of MgO content, fiber content, and fiber length with cement soil deformation modulus were obtained by using Matlab software to process the test data. The sample was tested by scanning electron microscope …

Experimental Study On Performance Of Cast Asphalt Mixture Basedon Dry Modification, Wang Ming, Li Bo, Bao Guangzhi, Hu Deyong

Journal of China & Foreign Highway

Cast asphalt mixture is the most widely used material for the pavement of long-span steel bridge decks, and the special asphalt binder cannot be produced and used in small batches. The wet modification process is obviously not suitable for the production of the cast asphalt mixture during the operation and maintenance period. In this paper, according to the requirements of cast asphalt mixture and its binder, combined with the requirements of the dry modification process, the developed direct injection modifier was employed to conduct the mix design of cast asphalt mixture and tests of the fluidity, penetration and increment, low-temperature …

Enhancing Bridge Resilience And Overheight Vehicle Mitigation Through Innovative Sacrificial Cushion Systems, Aly Mousaad Aly, Marc Hoffmann

Faculty Publications

Transportation departments have made significant strides in addressing the challenges posed by the increasing weights of trucks on bridges. While there is a growing awareness of overheight vehicle collisions with bridges, implementing effective countermeasures remains limited. The susceptibility of bridges to damage from such collisions is on the rise, further exacerbated by unpredictable lateral impact forces. This study employs nonlinear impact analysis to assess the response of an unprotected vehicle-girder model, yielding realistic deformation outcomes comparable to observed impacts on the US-61 bridge. Predictions for a truck traveling at 112.65 km/h indicate deformations of 0.229 m, 0.161 m, and 0.271 …

Operations Research In Civil And Environmental Engineering, Nicholas Lownes

Open Educational Resource

The purpose of this text is introduce fundamental operations research techniques to the civil and/or environmental engineering student, providing a broad background in linear programming, integer programming and network optimization. The material is presented in such a manner so that the student does not need an extensive background in operations research or or linear algebra. Applications include transportation engineering, project management and general civil and environmental engineering applications.

Data From: Active Transportation Counts From Existing On-Street Signal And Detection Infrastructure, Sirisha Kothuri, Patrick Allen Singleton, Mahyar Vahedi Saheli, Elizabeth Yates, Joseph P. Broach

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Datasets

This study’s objective was to use data from existing traffic signal infrastructure to estimate pedestrian volumes. Pedestrian push-button actuations were collected from signal controller logs at 49 intersections in western Oregon and an additional 16 intersections in eastern Oregon. These actuations were then compared to observed pedestrian counts, totaling over 34,000 people, obtained from video recordings. After exploring various options, a simple quadratic relationship was modeled using a single measure of pedestrian signal activity: the number of push-button presses (filtered to remove multiple presses within 15 seconds). The model’s predictions showed a correlation of 0.86 with observed pedestrian volumes and …

Evaluation Of Driveway Assistance Device (Dad) Systems In One-Lane Two-Way Work Zone, Mm Shakiul Haque, Aemal J. Khattak, Li Zhao

Mid-America Transportation Center: Final Reports and Technical Briefs

Lane closure on two-lane highways due to the presence of work zones negatively impacts traffic safety and operational efficiency. Additionally, traffic from access points (e.g., commercial and residential driveways, or minor side roads) within work zones make operations more complicated and inefficient. Deploying a driveway assistance device (DAD) system can enable more efficient traffic control for work zones with access points. While traffic agencies are becoming interested in DAD deployments, research on such systems is relatively sparse. This research was the first in-depth operational investigation of the DAD system under different signal strategies, traffic conditions, and work zone characteristics. This …

A Study Of Multimodal Accessibility Equity And Spatio-Temporal Relationships Between Transit, Job Density And Modal Split, Seyedsoheil Sharifiasl

Planning Dissertations - Archive

In North American cities, the land use and transportation systems are associated with low-density, suburban-type urban development, where the built environment contributes to a mobility pattern that is extremely reliant on automobiles. Several studies in the past decades have documented noticeable and concerning patterns of unjust and unsustainable transportation in this context. As a result, for those population groups with limited access to private transportation, this form of urban structure is equivalent to limited access to opportunities, leading to various environmental and social problems. These problems exacerbate inequities in access to transportation, disproportionately affecting marginalized communities. From a sustainable development …

Evaluation Of Hydrophobic Materials For Stabilizing Expansive Soils, Suman Shrestha

Civil Engineering Theses - Archive

The swelling and shrinkage of the expansive soil as a response to moisture change is one of the significant challenges posed to infrastructure projects. The significant economic damage that is caused by the expansive soil, as well as its abundance in nature, has prompted various scientists and engineers all around the world to actively search for new and improved methods for stabilizing it. Various traditional methods, such as lime and cement treatment, have been used extensively to stabilize expansive soils and mitigate their harmful effects on the infrastructure. Although these methods are quite often effective and various studies have been …

Improvement In Benefit-Cost Analysis Of Bridges Through Assessment Of Secondary Benefits And Defect Based Maintenance Cost, Shadman Sakib

Civil Engineering Theses - Archive

Benefit-cost Analysis (BCA) is conducted prior to federal grant allocation for bridge replacement and enhancement projects to prioritize decision-making. Benefits are measured based on total bridge closures, requiring vehicles to take alternate detour paths. Primary benefits are the direct user costs such as travel time saving or emission costs. However, there are more secondary benefits that are intangible and hard to monetize, but United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) guidelines suggest considering them wherever possible. There are lack of US based data and research also no set guideline by authority.

Apart from calculating primary benefits for a 95 sample of …

A 3-Step, Open-Data, Ride-Hailing Ridership Model With Pricing Applications, Richard A. Mucci

Theses and Dissertations--Civil Engineering

Researchers and practitioners studied the effects ride-hailing had in cities before the covid-19 pandemic. Previous research found ride-hailing to produce negative externalities, such as reducing transit ridership and increasing congestion in various cities. Since the pandemic, ride-hailing ridership has nearly recovered to pre-pandemic levels in Chicago. Ride-hailing ridership has grown steadily since the pandemic while a rider’s willingness to share their trip stagnated. Ride-hailing ridership nearly recovering to pre-covid levels in Chicago suggests that transportation planners, and policy makers, will need to continue assessing the impacts ride-hailing trips have in their cities.

Pickup and drop off locations in the Chicago …

Development Of A Real-Time Warning System For Bridge Icing Using Time Domain Reflectometry, Taryn Dilorenzo

Civil Engineering Dissertations - Archive

Treacherous driving conditions are a safety concern during the winter season where icing on roadways and bridges is of particular concern. The use of sensors to detect the presence or potential of surface ice formation is essential for efficient and effective winter road maintenance. However, there is a lack of ice detection systems that combine robust sensors, active warning signs and an ice detection algorithm that is reliable and economical. This study presents an innovative sensor that uses dielectric sensing to detect the onset of ice formation on a bridge deck. The sensor combines an automatic algorithm for ice detection …

Streamlining Public Engagement In Transportation Projects Using Text Analytics, Alireza Shamshiri

Civil Engineering Dissertations - Archive

Infrastructure projects impact a broad range of stakeholders, particularly local communities, whose engagement is critical for successful outcomes. Despite the importance of public engagement in these projects, traditional methods of capturing and analyzing public opinion often fail to fully represent the diverse, genuine perspectives involved. This has led to conflicts between community members and project sponsors. On the other hand, despite advancements in text analytics, including natural language processing (NLP) and its subfields such as topic modeling, sentiment analysis, and neural networks, their functionalities and effectiveness in analyzing public opinion in the domain of infrastructure projects have not been fully …

Development And Application Of Teems (Telecommuting Expectation Models): Predicting Post-Pandemic Telecommuting Choice And Frequency Using Machine Learning Models, Aiswarya Acharath Mohanakrishnan

Civil Engineering Dissertations - Archive

Telecommuting, increasingly prevalent in today's workforce, has gained significant momentum amid the pandemic-induced shift towards remote work. It altered the travel behavior of workers and their travel patterns. This evolution prompts a reevaluation of worker travel behavior, necessitating adjustments in travel demand modeling to optimize transportation planning and service provision. Using the commuter’s data from a typical pre-pandemic workday to model the travel demand of weeks or years in the future is outdated. In designing transportation systems for the future, Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) will thus need to account for change in work trips due to telecommuting, and how this …

Estimation Of Origin-Destination Matrix Using Open-Source Applications Based On Traffic Counts For Mansoura City In Egypt, Ahmed N. Awaad, Sherif M. El-Badawy, Elsayed Abd-Elazem Shwaly, Usama Elrawy Shahdah

Mansoura Engineering Journal

Origin-destination matrices (ODMs) are essential to transportation planning but estimating them can be difficult and expensive. This study presents a framework for estimating ODMs using traffic flow counts using open-source tools. The framework was applied to a dataset from the city of Mansoura in Egypt. The Flowrouter algorithm, which is part of the SUMO microscopic traffic simulation model, was used for routing traffic between traffic flow counting locations. Additionally, the “Implausible Routes” algorithm was used to eliminate unrealistic routes from the generated solution. The results show that the ODM obtained is a reasonable representation of the demand between the different …

Environmental Friendly Applications Of Ground Tire Rubber (Gtr) In Producing Concrete, Zahid Hossain, Ashraf Elsayed, Abu Sayed Mohammad Akid

Publications

Millions of waste automobile tires are generated yearly, an ever-growing issue for solid waste management authorities in Arkansas. Using waste tires as fuel generates toxic gases or dumping them in landfills is not sustainable. Hence, it is crucial to minimize the issues of managing and disposing of waste tires and incorporate them into concrete as construction material. This study aimed to investigate the fresh, mechanical, and durability properties of concrete incorporating waste ground tire rubber (GTR) as a replacement for sand and micronized rubber powder (MRP) as a replacement for cement. A total of eight concrete mixtures were prepared using …

Design Of 3d Printable Eco-Concrete By Utilizing Rheology Modifiers For Sustainable Infrastructure, Maryam Hojati, Muhammad Saeed Zafar

Data

In recent years, 3D printing technology has gained significant momentum across various industries within the construction sector, 3D printing has emerged as a promising technique; however, there are challenges associated with designing suitable construction materials and adjusting their properties for the 3D printing process. One of the key considerations in this regard is the rheological properties, encompassing parameters such as viscosity, yield stress, and thixotropy. These properties play a pivotal role in shaping the characteristics of 3D-printed concrete, both in its fresh and hardened states, including buildability, extrudability, and mechanical performance. Researchers have traditionally relied on chemical admixtures, such as …

Bridge Inspection Training And Enhanced Operations Using Augmented Reality, Fernando Moreu, Ali Mohammadkhorasani, Kaveh Malek

Data

This research project focused on the innovative application of Augmented Reality (AR) headsets to enhance bridge inspection processes and inspection training. The study encompassed the visualization of 3D point cloud data, utilized the Eye-Tracking features of AR headsets for inspection quantification, evaluate the applicability of AR in the bridge inspection training and instruction of an AR virtual menu for the in-field bridge inspection. The primary tasks included establishing a database connection for AR headset, designing an AR menu tailored for bridge inspection, devising an evaluation method based on Eye-Tracking capabilities, and integrating AR into bridge inspection training. Once the technical …

Countermeasures To Improve Pedestrian Safety On Arterials, Nicholas Ferenchak

Data

This work analyzed the pedestrian safety and overall traffic safety impacts – in terms of both motor vehicle speeds and crash outcomes – of several countermeasures applied to the Central Avenue arterial corridor in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Findings suggest that the infrastructure changes associated with a bus rapid transit (BRT) system improved traffic safety by reducing vehicle 85^th percentile speeds by 11.5% and reducing serious and fatal injuries by 60.0%. While pedestrian safety outcomes were more variable, pedestrians generally fared better on BRT segments than on control segments. The mechanism behind these improvements was traffic calming through the BRT’s …

Environmental Friendly Applications Of Ground Tire Rubber (Gtr) In Producing Concrete, Zahid Hossain, Ashraf Elsayed, Abu Sayed Mohammad Akid

Data

Millions of waste automobile tires are generated yearly, an ever-growing issue for solid waste management authorities in Arkansas. Using waste tires as fuel generates toxic gases or dumping them in landfills is not sustainable. Hence, it is crucial to minimize the issues of managing and disposing of waste tires and incorporate them into concrete as construction material. This study aimed to investigate the fresh, mechanical, and durability properties of concrete incorporating waste ground tire rubber (GTR) as a replacement for sand and micronized rubber powder (MRP) as a replacement for cement. A total of eight concrete mixtures were prepared using …

Prediction Of Moisture Resistance Of Polymeric Asphalt Binders Through The Atomic Force Microscopy (Afm) Technique, Zahid Hossain, Ashraf Elsayed, Khaja Sameer Sadat

Data

Moisture damage is a significant concern for state Departments of Transportation (DOTs) and other agencies due to its adverse impact on pavement performance as well as longevity. The main focus of the current study project is to quantify, at the molecular level, the interaction between binder and aggregate at the interface level in the form of adhesion forces between bitumen samples and minerals of various chemical compositions. First of all, A thorough review of the literature on moisture degradation in asphalts was conducted. Based on the literature review, a comprehensive project plan and test matrix were created. Binder samples from …

Smart3pm: Smart Pavement Monitoring, Management, And Maintenance, Damien Stephens, Mena Souliman, Mukul Shirvaikar, Samer Dessouky

Data

An application specific multi-platform smartphone application can utilize on-board accelerometer, gyroscope, and GPS sensors, along with software derived signals from the same sensors, to sample vibrational and geolocation datasets to capture pavement distresses such as potholes when mounted in a standardized configuration in a vehicle. Several observations were made with regard to the signals obtained from the accelerometer, gyroscope, and GPS sensors, and it was determined that the raw sensor outputs are capable of sampling statistically significant datasets which can be used to distinguish pavement distress from normal driving conditions. Furthermore, an approximate sensor noise margin is established, and a …

Green Mobility In Texas: Comparative Environmental Impacts And Lifecycle Cost Analysis Of Hybrid, Electric, And Hydrogen Fuel Cell Cars, Raghava R. Kommalapati, Hongbo Du, Md Jobair Bin Alam

Data

Compared to gasoline/diesel cars and battery electric cars (BECs), hydrogen fuel cell cars (HFCCs) are relatively new. Two main advantages of HFCCs over electric vehicles are no special requirements for heavy batteries and long charging time. There is no HFCC in Texas; thus, exploring the use of electricity or hydrogen produced from renewable energies for personal cars and mitigating vehicle emissions is critical for sustaining a long-term decarburization strategy for megacities like Houston and Dallas. This project addressed this critical gap and developed environmental impacts and cost assessments for hybrid gasoline cars, BECs, and HFCCs in Texas under several possible …

Climate Change Impacts On Asset Management Of Texas Concrete Bridges, Muhammad Ali, Jiannan Cai, Ao Du

Publications

This study investigates the interplay of climate-induced deterioration factors impacting concrete bridges in Texas, focusing on chloride and carbonation-induced corrosion. It integrates Fick’s second law to model chloride diffusion and employs empirical equations to predict corrosion initiation and severe crack damage. Sensitivity studies across representative Texas cities (Houston, Dallas, and Amarillo) shows varying deterioration risks due to climate change. Results highlight chloride-induced corrosion as more prominent, particularly affecting coastal bridges in Houston, while carbonation corrosion is negligible due to favorable concrete cover. Condition rating mapping simulations incorporating crack width effects, traffic impact, and maintenance interventions are calibrated against recorded National …

Motorcycle Crash Analysis, Hatim Sharif, Samer Dessouky

Data

The Fatality Analysis Reporting System database shows that, in stark contrast to the 34 percent decline in non-motorcyclist crash–related fatalities, motorcyclist crash–related fatalities were up 86 percent with only three year-to-year declines since 1997, while non-motorcyclist crash–related fatalities had 13 year-to-year declines since 1997. At the national level, the rate of motorcyclist fatalities per vehicle mile traveled is 29 times higher than the rate among passenger car occupants, with overall injury rates approximately five times higher among motorcyclists than passenger car occupants. Given the frequency of motorcycle crashes and their staggering toll in terms of loss of life and economic …

The Effect Of Covid-19 Lockdown On Traffic Crashes In Texas., Hatim Sharif, Samer Dessouky

Data

An analysis of traffic patterns during COVID-19 has identified that reduction in the miles traveled has a significant negative correlation with COVID-19 cases and deaths across the USA. Preliminary statistics in the US suggest an increase in fatal crashes over the period of the lockdown in comparison to the same period in previous years. Moreover, while total crashes are down, motor vehicle crashes involving non-motorists became more prevalent. At the same time, non-motorist traffic has increased while motor vehicle traffic and crashes have shifted to the local systems. The main goal of this research is to perform a comprehensive evaluation …