Engineering Commons^™

Innovative Rapid Construction/Reconstruction Methods, Paul M. Goodrum, Yinggang Wang, Chris N. Jones, Philippe C. Fenouil, Donn E. Hancher

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

Innovative construction and reconstruction methods provide the opportunity to significantly reduce the time of roadway projects while maintaining the necessary quality of workmanship. The need for these “rapid” methods stems from the increase in traffic on Kentucky roadways coupled with the rise in conventional road and bridge construction methods. Conventional construction methods cannot maintain the demand for progress necessitated by the future needs of the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, especially the current philosophy of “Get In, Get Out, and Stay Out.” This research documents a series of case studies that examined past projects which used innovative rapid construction methods. This document …

Mixing And Dispersion Of Nanotubes By Gas Or Vapor Expansion, Francis J. Derbyshire, Rosemary Derbyshire, Rodney Andrews, Bouchra Safadi

Center for Applied Energy Research Faculty Patents

Novel methods and compositions for coating target surfaces with non-entangled multi-wall carbon nanotubes are disclosed. In one aspect, the methods and compositions of the invention comprise dispersion of non-entangled multi-wall carbon nanotubes in solvent, and application of the non-entangled multi-wall carbon nanotube/solvent mixture to a surface by spraying. In another aspect, the methods and compositions of the invention comprise dispersion of non-entangled multi-wall carbon nanotubes in solvent, and applying the nanotube/solvent mixture to a suitable matrix by spraying to form a surface coating which is substantially contiguous with the surface of the matrix. The compositions of the invention are substantially …

Pavement/Sub-Grade Condition Assessment I-65 Approximate Milepost 97.5 To 102.5 (Transition From Asphalt To Concrete) To (Ky 313 Overpass), Brad Rister, Clark Graves

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

This report summarizes the condition assessment of the pavement structure on I-65 between 97.5 to 102.5. Three types of equipment were used to evaluate the present condition of the pavement: falling weight deflectormeter, ground penetrating radar, and coring machine, Results indicated that durability of the existing concrete surface appears to be the most detrimental problem encountered in this survey. Load-transfer across transverse joint appear to be in acceptable ranges. Limited areas were identified to have less than four inches of D.G.A. beneath the concrete pavement. These areas have also been experiencing the most differential settlement. In addition several areas are …

Outsourcing Of Kytc Project Delivery Functions, Donn E. Hancher, April Brenneman, Robin Meagher, Paul M. Goodrum

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

The rise in daily travelers on highways due to population growth, and higher quality and service expectations of the public, are putting increased demands on DOTs today. These demands, combined with decreasing staff sizes and changing resources, are causing DOTs to investigate alternative methods for accomplishing their essential functions. A major option is to contract out more of their work to external parties, commonly called “outsourcing .” The purpose of this project was to evaluate the potential effectiveness, benefits, concerns and implementation requirements of outsourcing by the Kentucky Department of Highways.

This report looks at current outsourcing practices in other …

Enhancing Kentucky’S Transportation Funding Capacity: A Review Of Six Innovative Financing Options, Merl Hackbart, Juita-Elena (Wie) Yusuf, Michael J. Moody, Candice Y. Wallace

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

Kentucky faces several challenges in meeting the funding needs for its transportation infrastructure. The state currently relies on a revenue stream based on road user taxes and fees. However, the structure of these taxes and fees are such that revenues have not kept up with the growth in the number of licensed drivers and motor vehicle travel. In addition, inflationary pressures, coupled with the Road Fund’s low growth rate, have diminished the purchasing power of Road Fund revenues. It is increasingly clear than Kentucky will not be fiscally capable of meeting its transportation investment needs if steps are not taken …

Evaluation Of Methods To Limit The Time Taken To Investigate Crash Sites, Jennifer R. Walton, Monica L. Barrett, Kenneth R. Agent

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

Highway crashes have significant direct and indirect costs associated with them. Substantial sources of indirect costs are the congestion and delays that result from lane blockages or road closures while the crash is being investigated and the site cleared. In many cases, vehicles could be moved and roadways reopened very quickly, but this does not occur because of the need (or perceived need) to conduct a detailed investigation of the crash scene. The objective of this study was to identify opportunities to reduce the time required to investigate and clear crash scenes. This project includes a review of state and …

Bearing Capacity Analysis And Design Of Highway Base Materials Reinforced With Geofabrics, Tommy C. Hopkins, Liecheng Sun, Mikhail E. Slepak

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

The primary objective of this study was to develop and implement mathematical bearing capacity models originally proposed by Hopkins (1988, 1991) and Slepak and Hopkins (1993; 1995). These advanced models, which are based on limit equilibrium and are operated together, can be used to analyze the bearing capacity, or stability, of early construction of loads on a single layer of material, two-layered problems involving a layer of base aggregate and subgrade, and a foundation involving multiple layers of different materials, such as a flexible asphalt pavement. A Prandlt-type shear surface is used in the model analyses of layered foundations. In …

Permeability Of Corn, Soybeans, And Soft Red And White Winter Wheat As Affected By Bulk Density, Michael D. Montross, Samuel G. Mcneill

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

Darcy’s law is a function of viscosity, permeability, and velocity and can be used to predict the airflow resistance in granular materials at low air velocities. Permeability also governs the magnitude of natural convection currents during periods of non-aerated grain storage. The permeability of corn, soybeans, soft white winter wheat, and soft red winter wheat were measured as a function of bulk density and moisture content. Air was passed through a column of grain and the flow rate and pressure drop measured. Bulk density and kernel density were also measured to determine the porosity of grain in the test column. …

Airflow Resistance Of Seeds At Different Bulk Densities Using Ergun's Equation, Marek Molenda, Michael D. Montross, Samuel G. Mcneill, Jozef Horabik

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

Airflow resistance of grains and oilseeds has been extensively studied. Traditionally the data has been presented using Shedd’s curves. However, this assumes that airflow resistance is independent of grain depth. Grain undergoes compaction during storage that changes the bulk density, porosity, and therefore the airflow resistance. Ergun’s equation is a function of particle size and porosity of the granular material. Airflow resistance by Ergun’s equation was used to predict the pressure drop across a column of corn, soft white winter wheat, soft red winter wheat, and soybeans at three moisture content levels and two bulk densities. The maximum root mean …

Crop Yield Response To Precision Deep Tillage, Larry G. Wells, Timothy S. Stombaugh, Scott A. Shearer

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

Experimental precision deep tillage was applied at three sites in central Kentucky with relatively well-drained silt loam soils in no-till crop production. Fields were divided into 0.4 ha (1 ac) grid cells using DGPS mapping. Assessment of soil compaction by machinery traffic was made using multiple soil cone penetrometer measurements and expressed as cone index (CI). Corn, wheat, and soybean yields were depressed in grid cells with CI_avg ≥ 1.5 MPa (218 psi) prior to application of tillage treatments at sites 1 and 3, whereas at site 2, where most of the highest average CI values ranged from 1.44 …

Effect Of Fat And Casein Particles In Milk On The Scattering Of Elliptically Polarized Light, Czarena L. Crofcheck, Jeremie Wade, Janakiraman N. Swamy, Mustafa M. Aslan, M. Pinar Mengüç

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

In this article, we present an experimental approach to determine the milk fat content using scattered light intensity profiles. The elements of the scattering (Mueller) matrix have been shown to provide valuable information about variation of the optical properties of scattering particles. The scattering behavior of fat and casein in terms of the scattering matrix elements was experimentally determined for milk with varying fat levels ranging from 0.05 wt% (skim) to 3.20 wt% (whole). Three of the scattering Mueller matrix elements, specifically S₁₁, S₁₂/S₁₁, and S₃₃/S₁₁, were found to be …

Development Of Kentucky’S Highway Incident Management Strategic Plan, Monica L. Barrett, Joseph D. Crabtree, Jerry G. Pigman, Jennifer R. Walton

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

Even though Kentucky has undertaken many initiatives to improve specific aspects of incident management, there has never been a plan that establishes an overall framework for a systematic, statewide, multi-agency effort to improve the management of highway incidents. The objective of this project was to develop a strategic plan that provides a vision and strategy for significantly improving all aspects of incident management. This report identifies the current and best practices for highway incident management in the United States and in Kentucky and establishes a vision for the future of highway incident management in Kentucky. The Plan developed through the …

Evaluation Of Auto Incident Recording System (Airs), Eric R. Green, Kenneth R. Agent, Jerry G. Pigman

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

The Auto Incident Recording System (AIRS) is a sound-actuated video recording system. It automatically records potential incidents when activated by sound (horns, clashing metal, squealing tires, etc.). The purpose is to detect patterns of crashes at intersections for use in implementing relevant improvements. Videos of incidents and near-incidents were obtained after AIRS was placed in service at an intersection in Louisville, Kentucky on July 22, 2001. Crash reports were obtained from January 1998 through September, 2004 to; a) compare to the available data from AIRS videos, and b) compare the crashes before and after various improvements were made. A traffic …

Speed Estimation For Air Quality Analysis, Mei Chen, Huafeng Gong

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

Average speed is an essential input to the air quality analysis model MOBILE6 for emission factor calculation. Traditionally, speed is obtained from travel demand models. However, such models are not usually calibrated to speeds. Furthermore, for rural areas where such models are not available, there has not been a reliable method for estimating speed.

In this study, a procedure was developed based on the Highway Economic Requirement System (HERS) speed model to estimate average speed using as input various data such as roadway characteristics and traffic conditions. This procedure was coded in MS Excel macro and can be attached to …

Kentucky’S Highway Incident Management Strategic Plan, Monica L. Barrett, Joseph D. Crabtree, Jerry G. Pigman, Jennifer R. Walton

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

Kentucky ’s Highway Incident Management Strategic Plan consists of a mission statement, 4 goals, 16 objectives, and 49 action strategies. The action strategies are arranged by priority and recommended time frame for implementation. When implemented, the action strategies will help Kentucky achieve its primary goals for incident management: 1) improved safety of responders, highway workers, and motorists; 2) reduced traffic delay; 3) improved motorist awareness; and 4) improved responder and highway worker preparedness.

Context Sensitive Design – Thinking Beyond The Pavement: Documentation Of Workshop Development And Training, Jerry G. Pigman, Donald L. Hartman, Theodore Hopwood Ii, Kenneth R. Agent, Lenahan O'Connell, Nikiforos Stamatiadis, Patrick Tyndall

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

This report documents the development and presentation of the workshop titled “Thinking Beyond the Pavement – A Workshop on Context Sensitive Design”. Work began on the workshop development in 1998 after the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet was selected as one of the pilot states to implement a training program for context sensitive design. The Kentucky Transportation Center at the University of Kentucky was selected to develop and deliver the training to state personnel and consultants who were commonly involved with project development. The training course was comprised of the following four modules:

• Facilitated Communication and Public Involvement,
• Environmental Issues,
• Liability Issues, …

Catalytic Conversion Of Hydrocarbons To Hydrogen And High-Value Carbon, Naresh Shah, Devadas Panjala, Gerald P. Huffman

Chemical and Materials Engineering Faculty Patents

The present invention provides novel catalysts for accomplishing catalytic decomposition of undiluted light hydrocarbons to a hydrogen product, and methods for preparing such catalysts. In one aspect, a method is provided for preparing a catalyst by admixing an aqueous solution of an iron salt, at least one additional catalyst metal salt, and a suitable oxide substrate support, and precipitating metal oxyhydroxides onto the substrate support. An incipient wetness method, comprising addition of aqueous solutions of metal salts to a dry oxide substrate support, extruding the resulting paste to pellet form, and calcining the pellets in air is also discloses. In …

Moveable Tobacco Curing Frames, George A. Duncan, Larry D. Swetnam, Linus R. Walton

Agricultural Engineering Extension Publications

Moveable (or portable) curing frames offer the tobacco grower another option for successfully reducing labor and costs for producing air-cured tobacco. Reducing labor and costs is essential to continuing profitable tobacco production.

Two designs that use the cantilever-beam concept for supporting two rails of stick tobacco on a central beam are shown and explained in this publication. Further details of construction and covering are shown in the following drawings.

Reduction Of Stresses On Buried Rigid Highway Structures Using The Imperfect Ditch Method And Expanded Polystyrene (Geofoam), Liecheng Sun, Tommy C. Hopkins, Tony L. Beckham

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

The study of earth pressure distribution on buried structures has a great practical importance in constructing highway embankments above pipes and culverts. Based on Spangler’s research, the supporting strength of a conduit depends primarily on three factors: 1. the inherent strength of the conduit; 2. the distribution of the vertical load and bottom reaction; and, 3. the magnitude and distribution of lateral earth pressures which act against the sides of the structure. Considering high fills above them and high earth pressures they may experience, rigid culverts are usually used underneath highway embankments. To reduce high vertical earth pressures acting on …

Safety And Capacity Evaluation For Interstates In Kentucky, Adam J. Kirk, Jerry G. Pigman, Kenneth R. Agent, Barry House

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

This analysis and evaluation was directed toward assessing safety and capacity issues on interstates in Kentucky and, particularly, the manner in which commercial vehicle traffic affects these issues. Analyses was undertaken to show past trends and project future traffic. Previous research was relied upon to show the level of safety on each of the interstates relative to statewide averages. Analyses were performed to evaluate the impact on safety when comparing segments by number of lanes available for through traffic (4, 6, and 8-lane highway sections). Delay on the interstates was calculated based on closure times due to crashes and estimates …

Examination Of Economical Methods For Repairing Highway Landslides, Liecheng Sun, Tommy C. Hopkins, Tony L. Beckham, Bixian Ni

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet spends millions of dollars each year in the repairs of highway landslides. In previous research, an inventory of highway landslides showed that about 1440 landslides of various sizes exist on major roadways maintained by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet. Moreover, emergency repairs can exceed one million dollars for large embankment failures. In many instances, drilled-in, or driven, railroad steel rails were frequently used as a stop-gap measure to halt landslide movements or those efforts were tried as a permanent solution. The use of rails to serve as a restraining structure was usually not successful when the height …

Polymethylmethacrylate Augmented With Carbon Nanotubes, David A. Pienkowski, Rodney J. Andrews

Center for Applied Energy Research Faculty Patents

An augmented synthetic resin is provided. That resin includes carbon nanotubes dispersed in a polymethylmethacrylate matrix. The method of preparing this synthetic resin includes the mixing and disaggregating of the carbon nanotubes.

Method And Device For Removal Of Cryoprotectant From Cryopreserved Biological Cells And Tissues, Dayong Gao, Xiangdong Cui

Biomedical Engineering Faculty Patents

Novel methods and devices for removing cryoprotectant from cryoprotectant-containing liquids, and from cells residing therein, are disclosed. In one aspect, the method comprises passing the cryoprotectant-containing liquid through at least one semipermeable hollow fiber membrane contained in a hollow module in a first direction, while passing a liquid which is substantially free of cryoprotectant through the hollow module in a second direction to remove cryoprotectant across a diffusion gradient. In another aspect, a device is described for removing cryoprotectant from a liquid, comprising a hollow module with at least one semipermeable hollow fiber membrane therein for accomplishing such counter-current diffusion …

Controller Area Network Based Distributed Control For Autonomous Vehicles, Matthew J. Darr, Timothy S. Stombaugh, Scott A. Shearer

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

The goal of this project was to evaluate the potential of a controller area network (CAN bus) to be used as the communication network for a distributed control system on an autonomous agricultural vehicle. The prototype system utilized microcontroller-driven nodes to act as control points along a CAN bus. Messages were transferred to the steering, transmission, and hitch control nodes via a task computer. The task computer utilized global positioning system data to generate appropriate control commands. Laboratory and field testing demonstrated that each of the control nodes could function simultaneously over the CAN bus. Results showed that the task …

Selecting An Air-Cure Tobacco Housing And Curing Facility, George A. Duncan, Larry D. Swetnam

Agricultural Engineering Extension Publications

Once or twice in a lifetime the average tobacco producer faces the decision of what tobacco housing and curing facility he needs to build. For some, this may be to replace a barn that has burned or blown down. For others, the need may arise from an expansion of production by farm acquisition or lease-in of extra poundage.

In all cases, it is important to build the most suitable facility for present and projected production methods. With labor becoming more costly and scarce, labor-saving features are a must Rising material and construction costs continue to increase the initial investment costs …

Kentucky Geotechnical Database, Tommy C. Hopkins, Tony L. Beckham, Liecheng Sun, Bill Pfalzer

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

Development of a comprehensive dynamic, geotechnical database is described. Computer software selected to program the client/server application in windows’ environment, components and structure of the geotechnical database, and primary factors considered in constructing the database are discussed. Oracle ®8i, PowerBuilder ®8, and Map Object ® software were used to construct the database, build graphical user interfaces (GUI), and embed roadway maps, respectively. Any number of users may use the database simultaneously. Twelve highway district offices and several central offices of the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet are connected to the database. Data may be entered and retrieved dynamically in the client/server structure. …

Swelling Pavement: Ky 499 Estill County, Tony L. Beckham, Tommy C. Hopkins

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

A field and laboratory investigation was performed to determine why excessive swelling was occurring on a pavement section of KY Route 499 that was about four years old. Swelling occurred on a section of roadway that had been constructed with a hydrated lime-stabilized subgrade. As shown by laboratory swell tests, swelling of the pavement was due to the absorption of water and expansion of the compacted clay shale subgrade. Results of laboratory swell tests showed that the hydrated lime stabilization of the shale actually reduced swelling. Chemical reactions between calcium, present in the hydrated lime, and sulfates, which were present …

Review Of Traffic Provisions Of Krs/Kar And Kentucky Drivers Manual, Kenneth R. Agent, Jerry G. Pigman

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

No abstract provided.

Environmental Commitment Follow-Up, Theodore Hopwood Ii, Sudhir Palle

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

Three recently completed road construction projects were investigated to determine Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) effectiveness in implementing project commitments (including environmental commitments). Documentation was obtained from KYTC districts in which the projects were constructed and KYTC officials involved with the projects from planning through construction were interviewed. The projects were inspected to audit completion of project commitments. Key stakeholders (officials of local governments, resource agencies, MPOs, interest groups, and adjacent landowners) were interviewed about the projects. They were asked to grade KYTC for implementation of project commitments using a standard report card format. The findings for these investigations are presented. …

Carbon Fiber Filters, Marit Jagtoyen, Francis John Derbyshire, Rosemary Anne Alexander Derbyshire, Mario E. Tremblay, Steve G. Fishter, Dimitris I. Collias

Center for Applied Energy Research Faculty Patents

Disclosed is a filter comprised of activated carbon fibers, wherein said filter has a Virus Removal Index (hereafter “VRI”) of at least about 99%, as measured in accordance with the test method described in the specification. The filter may comprise unbound fibers, or the fibers may be bound with a binder to form a composite of fibers. Also disclosed is a method of removing viruses from a liquid, the method comprising contacting the liquid with a filter comprising activated carbon fibers wherein said filter has a VRI of at least about 99%. Also described is an article of manufacture comprising: …