Engineering Commons^™

2000 Safety Belt Usage Survey In Kentucky, Kenneth R. Agent

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

The objective of this study was to establish 2000 safety belt and child safety seat usage rates in Kentucky. The 2000 survey continues to document the results after enactment of a statewide mandatory safety belt law in 1994. Data were collected at 200 randomly selected sites spread across Kentucky. Data from the individual sites were combined into a statewide percentage considering function classification, geographic region, and vehicle miles traveled.

The data show that the usage rate increase found in 1999, after a few years where the rate had remained at a stable level, continued in 2000 to a smaller degree. …

Safety Improvements For Two-Lane Rural Roads, Kenneth R. Agent, Jerry G. Pigman, Nikiforos Stamatiadis, Juan Villalba

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

Two-lane rural roads in Kentucky have the highest fatal crash rate of any type of highway in Kentucky. This report is the first phase of a study with the objectives of: 1) identifying safety problems related to crashes on two-lane rural roads, 2) identifying high-crash locations, ad 3) recommending possible improvements. The procedure used in this phase of the study involved an analysis of crash data to identify characteristics of crashes on two-lane rural roads, use of the crash data to identify one-mile sections having critical crash rates, and a review of countermeasures to start development of recommendations to reduce …

Nighttime Construction Issues, Donn E. Hancher, Timothy R. B. Taylor

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

This report addresses several issues to consider when considering performing highway construction work in Kentucky at night. Surveys of other state departments of transportation and Kentucky highway contractors were made to identify best practices and concerns. An advisory committee of experienced KyTC engineers plus contractor representatives met extensively to identify successful approaches for handling key issues which arise on night-time construction projects.

Seventeen specific recommendations have been proposed to enhance the Cabinet's use of night-time construction for its projects. These cover several issues related to night-time work, including contract requirements, traffic control, law enforcement, personnel issues, lighting and public awareness. …

A-A Highway Safety Study, Kenneth R. Agent, Jerry G. Pigman

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

As directed by Legislative action, a traffic safety study for the A-A Highway was to be conducted in fiscal year 1999-2000. An excerpt from the 1998-2000 budget and the Budget Memorandum included the following language related to the scope and direction of the study:

“The Department of Highways shall conduct an intensive traffic accident study on the A-A highway in fiscal year 1999-2000. It shall include an analysis of visibility, signage,lighting, turn lanes, and road striping at each public and private access. The accidents shall be identified by location and by fatalities, major injury, non injury, and minor injury. Causes …

Gfrp Reinforced Concrete Bridge Decks (Kyspr 96-169), David Deitz, Issam E. Harik, Hans Gesund

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

This report investigates the application of glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP) rebars in concrete bridge decks as a potential replacement or supplement to conventional steel rebars. Tests were conducted to determine the material properties of the GFRP reinforcement, and experiments were performed to study aspects of GFRP rebar placement in actual bridge decks. These included observation of GFRP rebar handling characteristics and worker response during construction. Load tests of full-scale reinforced concrete specimens were conducted to evaluate the characteristics of three reinforcing schemes: (1) an epoxy coated steel (ECS) reinforcing scheme; (2) a GFRP reinforcing scheme, and (3) a Hybrid …

Ranking And Assessment Of Seismic Stability Of Highway Embankments In Kentucky (Kyspr 96-173), Kevin G. Sutterer, Issam E. Harik, David L. Allen, Ron Street

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

This report presents the findings of three independent studies under the same grant. These were (a) assess and rank highway embankments along priority routes in western Kentucky according to seismic stability, (b) assess the seismic stability of the approach embankment for the U.S. 51 Ohio River crossing near Wickliffe, Kentucky, and (c) evaluate the seismic stability of the U.S. 41 Ohio River twin spans north of Henderson, Kentucky. Seismic stability of bridge foundations was not a part of this study.

The highway ranking assessed over 400 embankments and delineated each as having high, moderate, or little risk of significant failure …

Intelligent Transportation Systems Strategic Plan (Final Report), Jennifer R. Walton, Joseph D. Crabtree, Monica L. Osborne, Jerry G. Pigman, J. M. Weber, Ted H. Grossardt, Donald G. Hartman

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

This report presents a Strategic Plan for Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) in Kentucky. The purpose of this Strategic Plan is to offer a vision for ITS in Kentucky and to identify key goals for each functional area of ITS. Some of the fundamental elements of achieving the ITS vision are presented and discussed, including public relations and marketing, operations and maintenance, and organizational structure.

This plan serves as the foundation for development of a Statewide ITS Architecture and an ITS Business Plan, both of which are currently in progress.

Grain Drill Calibration Procedures For Winter Wheat, S. A. Shearer, Samuel G. Mcneill, G. A. Watkins, Stephen F. Higgins

Agricultural Engineering Extension Publications

Intensive wheat management requires attention to details, from planting through harvest. Perhaps most critical is stand establishment. While no-tilling wheat into corn stubble presents a range of problems in depth control and residue management, these problems do not minimize the importance of calibration.

Just as no two drills are manufactured alike, seed rarely is produced in uniform size, nor do individual metering cups deliver the same seed quantities. A few hours of attention to calibration at the start of fall planting will help producers control seed costs and achieve more desirable, uniform stands and better yields.

Results Of Creep Tests On Concrete Cylinders For The Cable-Stayed Bridge At Owensboro, Kentucky, Dan L. Eaton, David L. Allen

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

The Kentucky Transportation Center was requested by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet to conduct creep tests on the concrete from the new cable-stayed bridge over the Ohio River at Owensboro. The tests have been completed and the data is included herein.

Results Of Panel Bending Tests And Screw Pullout Tests For Storage Buildings For Stor Mor, Incorporated, David L. Allen, Daniel L. Eaton

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

The Kentucky Transportation Center (KTC) was requested by the Stor-Mor Corporation (SMC) to test a number of building panels that SMC uses to build small storage buildings and small recreational structures. SMC delivered to the KTC laboratories a number of the panels to be tested in bending and other modes as deemed appropriate by KTC. The panels are of sandwich construction consisting of two, thin sheet metal plates and a styrofoam interlayer. Each panel was approximately 64 inches in length and 22 inches in width. The thickness was approximately 1.63 inches.

This report details the testing of the panels and …

Long-Term Monitoring Of Experimental Features, Subtask 2: Alexandria-Ashland Highway (Ky 9) Pavement Performance Monitoring, L. John Fleckenstein, Monica L. Osborne, David L. Allen

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

Construction on the AA Highway began in late 1985 and was completed in late 1990. Prior to construction, 30 different test sections had been designed into the highway for evaluation. The test sections contain 23 different characteristic qualities and different segment lengths. The segment lengths range from 1.28 to 9.13 miles and took one and a half to four years to complete each segment.

The sections were constructed from various pavement and shoulder designs. The designs are varied by parameters such as the type of subgrade stabilization, drainage type, surface class, surface aggregate, and more. The purpose for monitoring the …

Activated Carbon And Process For Making Same, Francis John Derbyshire, Marit Jagtoyen

Chemical and Materials Engineering Faculty Patents

A process is described for the manufacture of activated carbon in the form of a powder, as granules or as extrudates. The process includes treating a biomass feedstock, such as woods, coconut shells, fruit pits, peats, lignites and all ranks of coal with a processing agent and an activation agent. The processing agent may be a natural or synthetic monomer, oligomer, polymer or mixtures thereof capable of interacting or co-polymerizing with the biomass feedstock. The activation agent may be, for example, phosphoric acid, zinc chloride or mixtures thereof. A high surface area, high hardness extruded activated carbon may be produced …

Soil Regeneration Apparatus And Method, Larry G. Wells, John Patrick Fulton

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Patents

An apparatus for regenerating compacted soil in reclaim surface mining lands is provided. The apparatus includes an auger rotatably mounted above and forward of the blade of an earthmover, such as a bulldozer. The auger is longer than the blade and is mounted such that it extends substantially beyond one side of the blade. Adjacent this extension, a controllable lateral baffle is mounted for selectively adjusting a transverse dimension of the blade. In operation, compacted soil is collected by the blade until it reaches the auger. The auger then decompacts, transversely displaces, and deposits the soil relative to the blade, …

A Recommended Master Plan For The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet To Build A Partnership With The Public, Theodore Hopwood Ii, Donald G. Hartman, Lenahan O'Connell

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

Public involvement with proposed projects is necessary to facilitate their timely implementation by state highway agencies. New procedures are necessary to involve the public in the project development process and adequately address their concerns. Kentucky Transportation Center (KTC) researchers and Kentucky Transportation Cabinet Study Advisory Committee members cooperated to identify a set of recommended actions to be considered for implementation by the Cabinet. That work consisted of a series of “internal” reviews of problems and proposed solutions. That was supplemented by external reviews and interviews conducted by KTC researchers to identify “best practices” of other transportation agencies related to promoting …

Pavement Design Evaluations I-275 Boone And Kenton Counties Mp 1.05-7.15, R. Clark Graves, David L. Allen

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

Interstate 275 in Boone and Kenton Counties (MP 1.05 - 7.15) has been in service for more than 20 years. The eastbound lanes from MP 1.05 - 4.07 was rehabilitated by rubblization of the existing continuously reinforced concrete pavement, the addition of an open-graded drainage layer and a 9-inch PCC overlay in 1991.

Expansion Of Roadway Reference Log, Kenneth R. Agent, Joel Brumm, Joel Weber

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

There has been a need to expand the route log in order to have a more comprehensive and up-to-date log to accurately locate information on the highway system. The objectives of this study were to: 1) expand the current route log resulting in a more comprehensive route log file containing milepoints for all intersections on state maintained roads and any other needed reference points and 2) recommend a procedure for establishing milepoints and maintaining the file with up-to-date information.

Two types of output resulted from the study. One was an expanded route log computer file. The added milepoints were additional …

Richmond Public Transportation Study Report, Lenahan O'Connell, Bruce Siria

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

This study looked at the possible costs and benefits associated with the creation of a small deviated fixed route bus service in Richmond. It concluded that the circumstances in Richmond favor the creation of such a system. It also concluded that only one route–operating one bus, twelve hours per day, Monday through Saturday–is needed at this time.

Simulated Performance Of Conventional High-Temperature Drying, Dryeration, And Combination Drying Of Shelled Corn With Automatic Conditioning, Michael D. Montross, Dirk E. Maier

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

Combination drying, based on computer simulation, was evaluated as an alternative drying technique to traditional high-temperature drying and dryeration. Simulation models of high-temperature crossflow drying and in-bin drying and conditioning were used to evaluate the performance of conventional crossflow drying and full-heat crossflow drying followed by dryeration or natural-air drying for Indianapolis, Indiana, and Des Moines, Iowa. Energy costs from propane, electricity, moisture shrink below the market moisture content, and dry matter loss were estimated to find the total average drying cost over 29 years. Dryeration and combination drying reduced the total drying cost by approximately 10% compared to conventional …

Maintenance Registers With Boundary Scan Interface, Shianling Wu, Ramesh Karri, Charles Eugene Stroud

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Patents

Concurrent Fault Detector Circuits (CFDCs) are test components of a main system, e.g. an Application Specific Integrated Circuit, and provide the results of the tests in parallel to at least one Error Source Register (ESR). Instead of reading out the ESR in parallel, its contents are copied to a serial shadow register so the contents can be read out in series to an error correcting application, thus reducing the number of output pins and the burden on resources of the main system. The ESR's receipt and transfer of information is under the control of a Boundary Scan Interface. In one …

Experimental Maintenance Painting On The I-64 Riverside Expressway In Louisville, Theodore Hopwood Ii, Bobby W. Meade, Sudhir Palle

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

The Riverside Parkway comprises some 3.2 miles of elevated steel (plate-girder) in downtown Louisville having approximately 24,054 tons 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 1996, the KYTC Paint Team developed experimental specifications to re-paint the Parkway by overcoating. Surface preparation procedures included 3,000-psi pressure washing and power-tool cleaning. Containment enclosures were employed throughout the project and hazardous wastes were collected and disposed of. The Parkway spans were painted with …

2000 Highway Cost Allocation Update, Monica L. Osborne, Jerry G. Pigman, Eric C. Thompson

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

This update of the highway cost allocation study is the ninth in a recent series that began in the early 1980′s by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinetand the Kentucky Transportation Center. The primary objectives are to determine the level of revenue contribution and cost responsibility for each class ofhighway user. The base year of this study is FY 1999; the most recent time period for which revenue and cost data are available. Highway user or travelactivity for calendar year1998 is the most recent available. A basic premise of the study is that only state maintained highways are of interest in recouping …

Evaporation Reduction Potential In An Undisturbed Soil Irrigated With Surface Drip And Sand Tube Irrigation, Masoud Meshkat, Richard C. Warner, Stephen R. Workman

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

The efficiency of drip irrigation is highly dependent on evaporation losses occurring from the constantly saturated soil beneath emitters. Advent of subsurface drip irrigation is in part an approach to curb this inefficiency. An irrigation method, Sand Tube Irrigation (STI), is proposed to increase the efficiency of “Normal” surface applied drip Irrigation (NI method) on permanent tree crops without the need for burying the irrigation tubing. The sand tube consists of removing a soil core beneath the emitter and filling the void with coarse sand. A weighing lysimeter was constructed in the laboratory and instrumented to directly measure temporal evaporation …

Kentucky Water Resources Research Institute Annual Technical Report Fy 1999, Kentucky Water Resources Research Institute, University Of Kentucky

KWRRI Annual Technical Reports (USGS’s 104b Grant Program)

The FY 1999 Annual Technical Report for Kentucky consolidates the reporting requirements of the Section 104(b) base grant and regional competitive grant awards in a single technical report which includes: 1) a synopsis of each ongoing research project and each research project completed during the period, 2) a list of related reports published, 3) a brief description of information transfer activities, 4) a summary of student support during the reporting period, and 5) notable achievements and awards during the year. The activities supported by Section 104 (b) and the required matching funds are interwoven into the Kentucky Water Resources ResearchInsitute's …

Kentucky Traffic Collision Facts 2000 Report, Kentucky Transportation Center, Kentucky State Police

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

KENTUCKY’S TRAFFIC COLLISION FACTS report for 2000 is based on collision reports submitted to the Kentucky State Police Records Branch. As required by Kentucky Revised statutes 189.635, “every law enforcement agency whose officers investigate a vehicle accident of which a report must be made...shall file a report of the accident...within ten days after investigation of the accident upon forms supplied by the bureau.” The stated purpose of this requirement is to utilize data on traffic collisions for such purposes as will improve the traffic safety program in the Commonwealth.” Data contained in this report are based solely on the observations …

Evaluation Of Moisture Barriers For Fire Fighting Turnout Gear Assessment Of Product Failure And Test Method Development Predicting Failure Modes, Chastity Danielle Newsome

Theses and Dissertations--Retailing and Tourism Management

The purpose of this study was to investigate the failures seen in the moisture barrier of fire fighting turnout gear. Moisture barriers taken from garments in field were evaluated to establish a baseline for comparison. Moisture barriers were exposed as part of a three-piece ensemble and as a single layer moisture barrier to instrumental light exposure in a Carbon Arc Fade-ometer and natural sunlight exposure according to AATCC and ASTM test methods. After exposure, moisture barriers were visually examined using stereo and compound microscopes. A performance measurement was conducted on the exposed moisture barriers using a modified NFPA Hydrostatic Water …

Method And System For Gas Metal Arc Welding, Yuming Zhang, Liguo E

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Patents

An improved method of gas metal arc welding (GMAW) is disclosed. The method includes utilizing a pulsed current having a variable waveform to ensure the detachment of one-droplet-per-pulse of current. During the welding process, the current is sufficient to produce a droplet at the end of a consumable electrode wire. After the droplet reaches a desired size, the current is lowered to induce an oscillation in the droplet. The current is then increased which, in combination with the momentum created by the oscillation, effects droplet detachment. The oscillation may be monitored by observing the arc voltage to determine a preferred …

Method For Testing Field Programmable Gate Arrays, Charles E. Stroud, Miron Abramovici

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Patents

A method of testing field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) includes the step of configuring programmable logic blocks of the FPGAs for completing a built-in self-test. This is followed by the steps of initiating the built-in self-test, generating test patterns with the programmable logic blocks and analyzing a resulting response to produce a pass/fail indication with the programmable logic blocks. More specifically, the configuring step includes establishing a first group of programmable logic blocks as test pattern generators and output response analyzers and a second group of programmable logic blocks as blocks under test. The blocks under test are then repeatedly …

The Dayton Its Demonstration Project: Simulating Existing Conditions, Jill A. Swaynos, Nikiforos Stamatiadis

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

The Miami Valley Regional Planning Commission is incorporating an Advanced Traveler Information System to alleviate real-time traffic problems associated with special events at the Ervin J. Nutter Center of the Wright State University. This study of the existing conditions is part of the evaluation plan and addresses two tasks: 1) documentation of the existing conditions; and 2) definition of measures of effectiveness. The existing conditions were depicted with the use of a computer simulation software package, Traffic Software Integrated System and separate scenarios were modeled for three existing conditions: ingress and egress for a special event and a major shopping …

Artimis Telephone Travel Information Service: Overall Public Awareness, Lisa Aultman-Hall

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

This report summarizes the results of a random telephone survey of households in the Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky Area. The objective was to determine awareness of the traffic management center and its telephone travel information service. A secondary objective was to determine the public's preference for dialing and recalling phone numbers for travel information. The survey found that 39% were aware of a traffic management center while 55% were aware of a telephone traffic information service. Awareness varied by work location, household characteristics and personal attributes. Some households that could potentially benefit from the service were unaware of its …

Traffic Safety Issues Opinion Survey, Kenneth R. Agent, Jerry G. Pigman

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

In recent years there have been several laws both proposed and enacted in the Kentucky legislature which have dealt with various traffic safety issues. There has been discussion of various types of legislation which may be proposed in the 2000 Kentucky legislature. As a means of determining public opinion on specific traffic safety issues, a public opinion survey was conducted.