Engineering Commons^™

Intelligent Transportation Systems Statewide Architecture, Joseph D. Crabtree, Jennifer R. Walton

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

This report describes the development of Kentucky’s Statewide Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) Architecture. The process began with the development of an ITS Strategic Plan in 1997-2000. A Business Plan, developed in 2000-2001, translated the goals of the Strategic Plan into specific project recommendations. To develop the Statewide Architecture, the project team first inventoried all existing and planned ITS projects in the state. A project architecture was developed for each identified project, and these project architectures were then merged to form the Statewide Architecture. This report describes the background work that set the stage for the architecture, the actual architecture development …

Assessment And Modeling Of Stream Mitigation Procedures [2003], Bernadette S. Dupont, Sudhir Palle

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

As population increases, so does the need to improve and augment the road network. Construction of new roadways or modification of existing roads often requires diversion or modification of streams. If a stream is disturbed, government regulations require mitigation or compensatory replacement of the affected area in a similar environment. Stream mitigation is of particular importance in Kentucky, as Kentucky ranks second in the United States for having the most miles of waterways. Consequently, stream mitigation has become a significant factor in roadway construction costs. To date, no studies have been made to assess the execution of the mitigation plans …

Roadway Lighting And Driver Safety, Eric R. Green, Kenneth R. Agent, Monica L. Barrett, Jerry G. Pigman

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

The objectives of this project were to: a) analyze the safety benefits associated with roadway lighting; b) determine the design of the lighting installation necessary to provide an adequate level of lighting; c) investigate how lighting affects the driver and the roadway’s surrounding environment; d) review the economic correlation between effective lighting and cost savings for the State; e) provide input for updating the current section on street and highway lighting in the Traffic Guidance Manual; and f) analyze crash data to identify nighttime high crash locations. The procedure involved a literature search, a survey of states, crash data analysis, …

Traffic Control At Stop Sign Approaches, Kenneth R. Agent

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

The objectives of this report were to: a) determine the number of crashes in Kentucky involving a driver disregarding a stop sign and the locations where these occur, b) determine the characteristics of these crashes, c) investigate loca tions with a large number of this type of crash, and d) make recommendations to reduce the probability of a driver disregarding a stop sign. The majority of the analyses involved a review and analysis of crashes where a stop sign was listed as the traffic control and “disregarding the tra ffic control” was listed as a contributing factor. Intersections having a …

Structural Evaluation Of The Historic John A. Roebling Suspension Bridge, Wei-Xin Ren, Issam E. Harik, George E. Blandford, Michael Lenett, T. Michael Baseheart

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

The John A. Roebling suspension bridge, formerly the Covington-Cincinnati suspension bridge over the Ohio River was completed in 1867 and is still serving the Northern Kentucky community. The objective of this study is to assess the bridge load capacity via the dynamics-based technique. The scope of research includes finite element modeling and modal analysis, field ambient vibration testing, finite element model calibration to field test results, and bridge load-capacity evaluation. It is demonstrated that stress stiffening of cable elements plays an important role in both static and dynamic analyses of the Roebling suspension bridge. Large deflection behavior has been shown …

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 …

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.

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 …

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 …

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 …

Shear Strength Of R/C Beams Wrapped With Cfrp Fabric, P. Alagusundaramoorthy, Issam E. Harik, Ching Chiaw Choo

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

The emergence of high strength epoxies has enhanced the feasibility of increasing the shear strength of concrete beams by wrapping with carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) fabric. The objective of this investigation is to evaluate the increase in shear strength of concrete beams wrapped with different configurations of CFRP fabric. Shear tests are conducted up to failure on two reinforced concrete control beams and twelve reinforced concrete beams wrapped with four different configurations of CFRP fabric. An analytical procedure is presented to predict the shear strength of beams wrapped with CFRP fabric. Comparisons are made between the test results and …

Toward Enhancing Estimates Of Kentucky’S Heavy Truck Tax Liabilities, Andrew V. Mcneill, Suzanne Perkins, Merl Hackbart

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

Kentucky has established a Road Fund tax structure that is partially based on the principle that the system users pay their fair share of the costs associated with maintaining a safe and efficient highway system in Kentucky. Several of the most important sources of Kentucky’s road fund revenues derived from commercial trucking are dependent on the self-reported tax liabilities submitted by trucking firms. Self- reporting and the interstate nature of this industry allows for the possibility of tax evasion either due to fraudulent behavior or processing errors. To ensure the integrity of the system, the Revenue and Transportation Cabinets have …

Contractor Performed Quality Control On Kytc Projects, Donn E. Hancher, Yuhong Wang, Kamyar C. Mahboub

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

This report addresses issues related to transferring the responsibility for quality control from the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KyTC) to construction contractors. Surveys of the KyTC, other state departments of transportation, and Kentucky highway contractors were done to identify the advantages, concerns, and modifications of the Contractor Performed Quality Control (CPQC) program. An advisory committee of experienced KyTC engineers, FHWA representatives, and contractor representatives met periodically to identify approaches for handling key issues of the program.

Several key topics related to CPQC are presented in this report, with emphasis on quality control (QC) /quality assurance (QA) administration, QC/QA procedures, quality acceptance …

Analysis Of Traffic Crash Data In Kentucky (1997-2001), Kenneth R. Agent, Jerry G. Pigman, Monica L. Barrett, Eric R. Green

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

This report documents an analysis of traffic crash data in Kentucky for the years of 1997 thro ugh 2001. A primary objective of this study was to determine average crash statistics for Kentucky highways. Average and critical numbers and rates of crashes were calculated for various types of highways in rural and urban areas. These data can be used in Kentucky’s procedure to identify locations that have abnormal rates or numbers of crashes.

The other primary objective of this study was to provide data, which can be used in the preparation of the problem identification portion of Kentucky’s Annual Highway …

2002 Safety Belt Usage Survey In Kentucky, Kenneth R. Agent, Eric R. Green

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

The objective of this study was to establish 2002 safety belt and child safety seat usage rates in Kentucky. The 2002 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 in 2002 (62.0) was almost identical to that for 2001 (61.9). This compared to 60 percent in 2000, 59 percent in 1999, 54 percent …

Movements And Settlements Of Highway Bridge Approaches, Bernadette Dupont, David L. Allen

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

This report is a discussion of the bridge approach settlement or movement problem that is so prevalent in the United States. An explanation and/or description is given of the causes of these movements as described in the literature. A discussion concerning the cost to highway agencies is also given. A review and discussion of current practices in the country is given . This includes construction practices on approach embankment foundations, the approach embankment itself, various types of approach slabs, types of abutments and end bents, and drainage around approach embankments and bridge ends. A survey of all 50 states was …

Long-Term Benefits Of Stabilizing Soil Subgrades, Tommy C. Hopkins, Tony L. Beckham, Liecheng Sun, Bixian Ni, Barry Butcher

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

Chemical admixtures have been used extensively since the mid-eighties in Kentucky to improve bearing strengths of soil subgrades. Most pavements in Kentucky are constructed on clayey soils. Although short-term observations at a small number of sites showed that chemical stabilization worked very well, a need existed to perform a more comprehensive review and to assess the long-term benefits of this subgrade stabilization method. The main intent of this study was an attempt to address questions concerning bearing strengths, longevity, durability, structural credit, economics, and performance of pavements resting on soil subgrades mixed with chemical admixtures. In-depth field and laboratory studies …

Transportation Finance: Kentucky’S Structure And National Trends, Merl Hackbart, Suzanne Perkins, Mariam Fordham

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

Studies of state Road Fund tax structures, like studies of state General Funds, tend to focus on a state’s current tax structure compared to surrounding states and identifying possible tax changes that may make a tax system simpler, more equitable, more administratively efficient, more competitive or more “adequate.” In conducting such analysis, the inherent trade-offs among these accepted tax principles becomes apparent. Efforts to increase competitiveness may impact the adequacy of a tax system. Likewise, tax legislation intended to enhance tax administration efficiency may impact the equity of a state’s Road Fund tax structure. Such trade-offs associated with conflicting tax …

Evaluation Of The Dayton Its Demonstration Project, Jason Yaw, Kavita Boddu, Nikiforos Stamatiadis

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

This is the second and final report of the Dayton ITS Demonstration Project, which evaluates the effectiveness of Advanced Traveler Information System (ATIS) devices located in the vicinity of the Nutter Center (Figure 1), Dayton, Ohio. The intention of these devices is to provide real-time information to travelers accessing the Nutter Center during special events. The first report documented the existing conditions (1999) and defined various measures of effectiveness used to evaluate the traffic conditions. The ATIS devices were installed in the meantime. To complete the evaluation of the demonstration project, this report evaluates the performance of the road network …