Civil and Environmental Engineering Commons^™

Evaluating And Enhancing The Safety Of Nighttime Construction Projects, Dulcy M. Abraham, Julia Jensen Spadaccini, Beau Braxton Burgess, Lindsay Rae Miller, Vanessa Valentin

JTRP Technical Reports

The increased demand on the current highway system has caused transportation agencies to increase scheduling for nighttime work in order to alleviate daytime work zone congestion, especially during peak traffic hours. Although traffic congestion is reduced, safety in nighttime workzones remains a concern among both transportation agencies and contractors. According to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), approximately one-half of the fatalities that occurred in workzones nationwide occurred at night. These work zone statistics have received increased attention among agencies to evaluate planning and safety issues concerning the workers and the general public on nighttime workzones. Four separate, but interrelated research …

3m Personal Air Monitoring Systems, Purdue Ect Team

ECT Fact Sheets Archive

3M monitors are made to allow sample desorption directly in the monitor itself. The monitor comes with a snap-on elution cap that permits the desorbing solvent to be injected into the monitor. The solution is then poured into sample vials for analysis. 3M monitors use standard analytical methods: gas chromatography for the organic vapor monitor and ethylene oxide monitor, and colorimetry for the formaldehyde monitor.

Pipeman:Safety In Trenches, Purdue Ect Team

ECT Fact Sheets Archive

Even though heavy construction equipment such as a crane or backhoe excavator, is used to perform the task of pipe laying in the trench, workers are required to be inside the trench to guide the excavation, pipe laying, and final alignment. Work place safety has become a major concern in the construction industry over the past few decades, and trench cave-ins have caused serious and often fatal injuries to workers in the United States. The Construction Automation and Robotics Laboratory(CARL) at North Carolina State University has developed an alternative which involves advanced new technology: the prototype robotic excavation and pipe …

Behavior-Based Safety In Construction, Purdue Ect Team

ECT Fact Sheets Archive

Behavior-based safety approach that was introduced into the United States in 1930's and has been popular in manufacturing area since 1980's assumes that many of injuries and illnesses are the result of unsafe acts by workers. Behavior-based safety is a proactive approach to increasing safety in the workplace and in the community. It is based on sound, research-based, and behavioral practices, and are easy to use with minimal training.

Delmia Safework®Pro™ : Human Modeling, Purdue Ect Team

ECT Fact Sheets Archive

Manufacturers and designers strive to develop products that conform to all relevant Health and Safety standards and are "user-friendly" while still maximizing the productivity of their own workforce. Digital human modeling technology can assist a designer to determine the performance of people in the context of a workplace or a product before it exists and throughout its entire lifecycle. SAFEWORK’S accurate manikin has the highest number of Anthropometric Variables (104), Segments (99) and Degrees of Freedom (149). It also has fully articulated spine & hand models as well as joints with coupled range of motion. Moreover, it’s unique Multivariate Algorithm …

Cranium: Device For Improving Crane Productivity And Safety, Purdue Ect Team

ECT Fact Sheets Archive

Cranes are the most important pieces of equipment on many construction sites. CRANIUM is a video system designed to improve productivity and safety of crane operations by improving communications. A video camera mounted on the crane bottom transmits an image to the television monitor in the crane cab. The operator has a real-time picture of the loads and craftsmen that might otherwise be out of the direct line of sight.

Safe Excavation, Purdue Ect Team

ECT Fact Sheets Archive

Excavating with a backhoe or similar equipment has the potential risk of hitting an underground utility which could cause serious injuries and expensive damages. An electronic device that provides a real-time warning of the utility lines immediately ahead of the digging tool and provides an easily interpreted, real-time computer readout of the depth, location, and size buried metallic objects. Developed by Dr. Leonhard E. Bernold, it consists of an active metal detector search coil; a signal processing (control) unit; and a PC computer equipped with an analog-to-digital converter interface.

Evaluation Of The Effectiveness Of Blank-Out Overhead Dynamic Advance Warning Signal Systems, Ryan Peterson

Theses and Dissertations

Advance warning signals installed upstream of a high-speed signalized intersection (HSSI) warn motorists of impending signal changes in an effort to reduce the frequency of red-light running (RLR) and crashes. A new advance warning signal design was tested on an approach to an HSSI in Utah to study the effects of the modified design on motorist behavior. The new design utilized an overhead dynamic blank-out sign and flashers. A state-of-the-art digital wave radar evaluation system was installed at the study site to collect continuous data of vehicle speeds and RLR events by a non-intrusive method. Crash data were collected from …

Increasing Speed Limit Compliance In Reduced-Speed School Zones, Kelly Grant Ash

Theses and Dissertations

Reduced-speed school zones greatly improve the safety of young children commuting to and from school and provide larger gaps in traffic for children to cross the street. The main focus of this study was to determine effective methods for increasing speed compliance in reduced-speed school zones. This objective was accomplished through an in-depth literature review, a public opinion survey of Utah drivers, and an evaluation of the effects of speed monitoring displays (SMDs) in school zones. The main focus of the literature review was to determine how to increase and maintain speed limit compliance within school zones. Information about the …

Intersection Safety, Aemal Khattak

Nebraska Department of Transportation: Research Reports

The objectives of this project included a study to determine the safety effects of intersection type (unsignalized, signalized, and interchange) on Nebraska expressway intersections, quantification of the safety effects of a Collision Countermeasure System (CCS), and update of the Nebraska Department of Roads (NDOR) expressway intersection guidelines. The CCS is an Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) traffic control device to warn drivers of conflicting cross-traffic at rural, non-signalized intersections. The goal was that if found effective, the CCS will become part of the intersection designer’s options for expressway intersection design (other options being an interchange, traffic signals, and traffic control signs). …

Kentucky Traffic Collision Facts 2006 Report, Kentucky Transportation Center, Kentucky State Police

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

KENTUCKY’S TRAFFIC COLLISION FACTS report for 2006 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 …

Driving Simulator Validation And Rear-End Crash Risk Analysis At A Signalised Intersection, Praveen Chilakapati

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In recent years the use of advanced driving simulators has increased in the transportation engineering field especially in evaluating safety countermeasures. The driving simulator at UCF is a high fidelity simulator with six degrees of freedom. This research aims at validating the simulator in terms of speed and safety with the intention of using it as a test bed for high risk locations and to use it in developing traffic safety countermeasures. The Simulator replicates a real world signalized intersection (Alafaya trail (SR-434) and Colonial Drive (SR-50)). A total of sixty one subjects of age ranging from sixteen to sixty …

Safety Effects Of Traffic Signal Installations On State Road Intersections In Northeast Florida, Christopher Ledew

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this thesis is to explore how the installations of traffic signals affect crash experience at intersections, to identify those factors which help predict crashes after a signal is installed, and to develop a crash prediction model. It is the intent of this thesis to supplement the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices Signal Warrant procedure and aid the traffic engineer in the signal installation decision making process. Crash data, as well as operational and geometric factors were examined for 32 state road intersections in the northeast Florida area before and after signal installation. Signal warrant studies were …

Effect Of Speed Limit Increase On Crash Rate On Rural Two-Lane Highways In Louisiana, Athira Swarna Jayadevan

LSU Master's Theses

Though the rural two lane roads are the low volume-less traveled roads, the majority of the crashes occur on these roads and the high speed of motor vehicles on these roads is suspected to be one of the main causes for this. This study focused on the development of a methodology to study the impact of a speed limit increase on the crash rate on the rural two lane roads in Louisiana. The Louisiana crash database obtained from the Louisiana Department of Transportation (LADOTD) was used to carry out the analysis. The analysis consisted of the comparison of crash rates …

Stochastic Algorithm For Improved Operations At Isolated High Speed Intersections, Anuj Sharma, Darcy M. Bullock, Srinivas Peeta

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering: Faculty Publications

The current practice of specifying simultaneous gap out logic at isolated high speed signalized intersections places constraints on the signal controller logic that cannot be satisfied under high congestion level. Further, it often results in degraded signal efficiency and dilemma zone protection. A stochastic approach is proposed in this paper with the objective of increasing safety and efficiency at these intersections.

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 …

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 …

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, …

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 …

Neural Network Trees And Simulation Databases: New Approaches For Signalized Intersection Crash Classification And Prediction, Piyush Nawathe

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Intersection related crashes form a significant proportion of the crashes occurring on roadways. Many organizations such as the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) are considering intersection safety improvement as one of their top priority areas. This study contributes to the area of safety of signalized intersections by identifying the traffic and geometric characteristics that affect the different types of crashes. The first phase of this thesis was to classify the crashes occurring at signalized intersections into rear-end, angle, turn and sideswipe crash types based on the traffic and geometric properties of …

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 …

Implementation Strategies For Real-Time Traffic Safety Improvements On Urban Freeways, Jeremy Harvey Dilmore

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This research evaluates Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) implementation strategies to improve the safety of a freeway once a potential of a crash is detected. Among these strategies are Variable Speed Limit (VSL) and ramp metering. VSL are ITS devices that are commonly used to calm traffic in an attempt to relieve congestion and enhance throughput. With proper use, VSL can be more cost effective than adding more lanes. In addition to maximizing the capacity of a roadway, a different aspect of VSL can be realized by the potential of improving traffic safety. Through the use of multiple microscopic traffic simulations, …

Safety Evaluation Of Left Turn Lane Line Width At Intersections With Opposing Left Turn Lanes, Aemal Khattak, Bhaven Naik, Vijay Kannan

Nebraska Department of Transportation: Research Reports

The objective of this research project was to evaluate the effectiveness of offset opposing left-turn lanes at signalized intersections in reducing the frequency and severity of left-turn related accidents. The Cities of Lincoln and Omaha offset opposing left-turns by widening leftturn lane lines in June 1999 at six intersections. The research team investigated traffic accident patterns between January 1994 and December 2002 at those six intersections by making comparisons with two control intersections (i.e. intersections at which left-turns were not offset by lane line widening) using a four-step research methodology. First, existing literature was reviewed to determine the extent and …

Day 1: Wednesday, August 4, 2004: Calpine Rocky Mountain Energy Center, Calpine Rocky Mountain Energy Center

Energy Field Tour 2004 (August 4-6)

5 pages (includes illustrations).

U-Turns At Signalized Intersections, Nikiforos Stamatiadis, Teja Banu Kala, Kenneth R. Agent

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

The objectives of the study were to examine the safety consequences from the installation of U-turns at signalized intersections in Kentucky and to develop a set of guidelines for using this alternative in the future. The literature review indicated that the use of U-turns is very effective in reducing delays as well as crash rates. The most efficient configuration is that of stop-controlled median U-turns. An analysis of the crash data shows that the U-turn design in the Kentucky locations did not result in a large number of crashes involving U-turning vehicles. Also, at the Somerset location where the design …

Analysis Of Inconsistencies Related To Design Speed, Operating Speed, And Speed Limits, Nikiforos Stamatiadis, Huafeng Gong

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

The objective of this research was to examine the relationship among design speeds, operating speeds and speed limits and address safety and operational concerns regarding the presence of disparities among these speed metrics. Roadway sections were selected throughout Kentucky based on the relationship between design speed and posted speed limit (greater or lower) and on the number of lanes (2 or 4). Speed data and roadway geometry data were collected along these sites to allow for the development of the appropriate models. The general conclusion for 2-lane highways is that the operating speed is different than the design speed indicating …

Safety Performance Evaluation Of The Nebraska Open Bridge Rail On An Inverted Tee Bridge Deck, Karla A. Polivka, John R. Rohde, Dean L. Sicking, Ronald K. Faller, James C. Holloway M.S.C.E., E.I.T.

Nebraska Department of Transportation: Research Reports

No abstract provided.

Kentucky Traffic Collision Facts 2004 Report, Kentucky Transportation Center, Kentucky State Police

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

KENTUCKY’S TRAFFIC COLLISION FACTS report for 2004 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 …

Safety Of Intersections On High-Speed Road Segments With Superelevation, Peter T. Savolainen, Andrzej P. Tarko

JTRP Technical Reports

In recent years, the State of Indiana has built a number of intersections where one or both of the roads are located on curves. The AASHTO Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets recommends that in such cases “the alignment should be as straight and the gradient as flat as practical.” This wording, consistent with Part V of the Indiana Design Manual, allows for the design of intersections on curves if other solutions prove to be too expensive. Several of these intersections have raised safety concerns and led to expensive corrective measures. Due to these safety and economic issues, …