Civil and Environmental Engineering Commons^™

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 …

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, …

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 …

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. …

Modeling, Simulation And Analysis Of Multi-Barge Flotillas Impacting Bridge Piers, Peng Yuan

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

The current design code governing bridge structure resistance to vessel impact loads in the U.S. is the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials' (AASHTO) Guide Specification and Commentary for Vessel Collision Design of Highway Bridges. The code stipulated method, based on Meir-Dornberg's equivalent static load method, is usually not warranted because of insufficient data on the impact load histories and wide scatter of the impact force values. The AASHTO load equations ignore certain fundamental factors that affect the determination of impact forces and bridge dynamic responses. Some examples of factors that are omitted during standard impact force …

Participatory Routing Of Electric Power Transmission Lines Using The Ep-Amis Gis/Multicriteria Evaluation Methodology, Keiron Bailey, Ted H. Grossardt, Ward Jewell

Kentucky Transportation Center Faculty and Researcher Publications

The North American electric transmission network was developed under the guidance of the North American Electric Reliability Council (NERC) to enhance the reliability of electricity supply. The network also allows sale and marketing of electric power by one utility to another. Electricity marketing has taken on a much more prominent role with restructuring of the electric utility industry. As a result, long-distance sales of electric power have greatly increased the loading of some transmission lines, and have led to congestion on the transmission network. Recent system failures such as the northeast blackout of 2003 have highlighted the need for increased …

Kentucky Traffic Collision Facts 2005 Report, Kentucky Transportation Center, Kentucky State Police

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

KENTUCKY’S TRAFFIC COLLISION FACTS report for 2005 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 …

Effects Of Railroad Track Structural Components And Subgrade On Damping And Dissipation Of Train Induced Vibration, Bei Su

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

A method for numerical simulation of train induced track vibration and wave propagation in subgrade has been proposed. The method uses a mass to simulate the bogie of a train and considers the effect of rail roughness. For this method, rail roughness is considered as a randomly generated signal and a filter is used to block the undesired components. The method predicts the particle velocity around the track and can be applied to many kinds of railroad trackbeds including traditional ballast trackbed and modern Hot mix asphalt (HMA) trackbed. Results from ballast and HMA trackbeds are compared and effects of …

Evaluation Of Us 119 Pine Mountain Safety Improvements: Ihsdm Analysis Of Post Construction, Will Conkin, Nikiforos Stamatiadis

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

The spot improvements on US 119 in Letcher County between Whitesburg and Partridge were an attempt to improve safety throughout the corridor. To achieve this goal, the roadway alignment and cross section were changed at various locations. In addition, problems related to truck traffic were considered in redefining the roadway geometries. The total length of the spot improvement locations was approximately 6.9 miles.

Accelerated Maintenance Painting – Jefferson County Federal Aid Research Task No. 135, Sudhir Palle, Theodore Hopwood Ii

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) conducted an experimental project to investigate the use of accelerated maintenance painting on several overpass and elevated steel structures (74,000 ft2) in Louisville. Accelerated maintenance painting procedures specified for this project entailed limited access for the painting contractor coupled with incentives/disincentives to complete each phase of the work involving traffic closures on the underlying roadways. The approach was coupled with the use of abrasive blasting for surface preparation and the application of a rapid-cure 2-coat paint system to facilitate the work.

The project was let for $402,800. The contractor proceeded to paint 4 spans designated …

Evaluation Of Current Incentive/Disincentive Procedures In Construction, Brad W. Rister, Yuhong Wang

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

This study was initiated to take an in-depth look at the current time and material incentive/disincentive program associated with highway construction projects in Kentucky. The current incentive/disincentive program was first initiated in the mid to late 90’s. However, not until recently had some of the original mechanisms of the program been revisited and/or up-dated.

From the early stages of this study it was anticipated that many of the concerns regarding the use of both time/material incentives and disincentives on highway construction projects in Kentucky would be addressed. Therefore, at the onset of this project the study advisory committee made a …

State Traffic Volume Systems Count Estimation Process, Doug Kreis, Angie Quigley

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet has an immense traffic data collection program that is an essential source for many other programs. The Division of Planning processes traffic volume counts annually. These counts are maintained in the Counts Database (CTS), which contains over 20,000 separate station locations and some traffic counts from as early as 1963.

The Division of Planning currently collects traffic volume counts for all non-interstate routes on a revolving three year basis. Years wherein actual counts are not performed are supplemented with estimates generated by a FORTRAN program. Estimates are projected using prior actual counts by weighted linear regression …

System For Valuing Changes To Historic And Environmental Amenities, Eric C. Thompson, Jennifer M. Burnett, Anna L. Stewart

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

This report provides a model for estimating the impact of highway projects on the environment and cultural amenities. The model was developed by the University of Kentucky Center for Business and Economic Research and was supported by funding from the Academy for Community & Transportation Innovation, a venture between the University of Kentucky, The University of Louisville, and the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet. This model provides a tool that transportation officials can use to examine any project’s impact on historic or environmental amenities.

The model allows transportation officials to design their analysis for a particular highway project. Officials simply select the …

Safety And Health Concerns For Kytc And Contractor Personnel, Theodore Hopwood Ii, Sudhir Palle

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

This study was initiated to provide a review of safety and health issues related to Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) construction activities including both KYTC and contractor personnel. Work included a literature search, interviews with KYTC resident engineers, and both a survey of and subsequent meeting with district construction safety coordinators. Recommendations are provided for implementing changes to improve safety and health regulatory compliance for both KYTC and contractor personnel.

Analysis Of Traffic Crash Data In Kentucky (1999 - 2003), Eric R. Green, Kenneth R. Agent, Jerry G. Pigman, Monica L. Barrett

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

This report documents an analysis of traffic crash data in Kentucky for the years of 1999 through 2003. 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 that can be used in the preparation of the problem identification portion of Kentucky's Annual Highway Safety …

Inspection And Evaluation Of A Bridge Deck Partially Reinforced With Gfrp Rebars, Issam E. Harik, P. Alagusundaramoorthy, V. Gupta, Chris Hill, Choo Ching Chiaw

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

The corrosion of steel can be a significant problem in bridge decks in which the reinforcing and prestressing steel are accessible to deicing salts and combinations of moisture, temperature and chlorides through cracks, leading to concrete deterioration and loss of serviceability. Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP) rebars have emerged as one alternative to steel reinforcement in corrosive environments.

The objective of this study is to evaluate the cracks formed on a bridge deck that is partially reinforced with glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP) rebars. The bridge constructed in 1997 is in Bourbon County, KY, on US460 over the Rogers' Creek. Its …

Developing An Intelligent Transportation Systems (Its) Architecture For The Kipda Region, Joseph D. Crabtree, Jennifer R. Walton

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

This report describes the development of a regional Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) Architecture for the five-county urban area under the auspices of the Kentuckiana Regional Planning and Development Agency (KIPDA). The architecture development process included the following steps: (1) Preliminary Architecture Work; (2) Inventory of Existing and Planned Projects; (3) Assessment of Regional Needs; (4) Development of Preliminary Architecture; (5) Review and Revision of Architecture; and (6) Delivery of Final Architecture and Documentation. Principal tools used in the development included the National ITS Architecture (version 4.0) and the Turbo Architecture software (version 2.0). Deliverables included the architecture database (created using …