Transportation Engineering Commons^™

Monotonic And Cyclic Behavior Of High Strength Reinforcing Steel (Hsrs) After High Temperature Exposure, Himan Hojat Jalali, Moein Ebrahimi, Khaled Abuhishmeh, Mohammadamin Soltanianfard

Publications

Conventional reinforced concrete transportation structures in North America often use Grade 40 ksi-60 ksi reinforcing steel. The introduction of high strength reinforcing steel (HSRS) with higher yield strength in the reinforced concrete industry has led to many economic and workability advantages such as construction time saving, reduced labor cost and steel consumption which in turn alleviates congestion of reinforcement, savings in transportation and deliveries that finally results in lower carbon emission. Despite these benefits, many states, including those in Region 6, have not widely adopted the use of higher strength reinforcing steels in practice due to lack of knowledge and …

Green Mobility In Texas: Comparative Environmental Impacts And Lifecycle Cost Analysis Of Hybrid, Electric, And Hydrogen Fuel Cell Cars, Raghava R. Kommalapati, Hongbo Du, Md Jobair Bin Alam

Publications

Compared to gasoline/diesel cars and battery electric cars (BECs), hydrogen fuel cell cars (HFCCs) are relatively new. Two main advantages of HFCCs over electric vehicles are no special requirements for heavy batteries and long charging time. There is no HFCC in Texas; thus, exploring the use of electricity or hydrogen produced from renewable energies for personal cars and mitigating vehicle emissions is critical for sustaining a long-term decarburization strategy for megacities like Houston and Dallas. This project addressed this critical gap and developed environmental impacts and cost assessments for hybrid gasoline cars, BECs, and HFCCs in Texas under several possible …

Smart3pm: Smart Pavement Monitoring, Management, And Maintenance, Damien Stephens, Mena Souliman, Mukul Shirvaikar, Samer Dessouky

Publications

An application specific multi-platform smartphone application can utilize on-board accelerometer, gyroscope, and GPS sensors, along with software derived signals from the same sensors, to sample vibrational and geolocation datasets to capture pavement distresses such as potholes when mounted in a standardized configuration in a vehicle. Several observations were made with regard to the signals obtained from the accelerometer, gyroscope, and GPS sensors, and it was determined that the raw sensor outputs are capable of sampling statistically significant datasets which can be used to distinguish pavement distress from normal driving conditions. Furthermore, an approximate sensor noise margin is established, and a …

Design Of 3d Printable Eco-Concrete By Utilizing Rheology Modifiers For Sustainable Infrastructure, Maryam Hojati, Muhammad Saeed Zafar

Publications

In recent years, 3D printing technology has gained significant momentum across various industries within the construction sector, 3D printing has emerged as a promising technique; however, there are challenges associated with designing suitable construction materials and adjusting their properties for the 3D printing process. One of the key considerations in this regard is the rheological properties, encompassing parameters such as viscosity, yield stress, and thixotropy. These properties play a pivotal role in shaping the characteristics of 3D-printed concrete, both in its fresh and hardened states, including buildability, extrudability, and mechanical performance. Researchers have traditionally relied on chemical admixtures, such as …

Development Of A Web Application For Traffic Accident Mapping And Analysis, Susan Bogus Halter, Su Zhang, Arian Golrokh Amin

Publications

It is widely accepted that road traffic safety is a significant public health issue. One of the effective ways to improve road traffic safety is analyzing crash data to understand where traffic accidents occur, identify associated spatial and temporal patterns, and determine causation. In the State of New Mexico, locations of traffic accidents are currently visualized using a variety of static maps. Although these statics maps are easier to create and producers can control how users view the data, users cannot customize these maps to meet their special needs. That being said, new maps need to be created for any …

Motorcycle Crash Analysis, Hatim Sharif, Samer Dessouky

Publications

The Fatality Analysis Reporting System database shows that, in stark contrast to the 34 percent decline in non-motorcyclist crash–related fatalities, motorcyclist crash–related fatalities were up 86 percent with only three year-to-year declines since 1997, while non-motorcyclist crash–related fatalities had 13 year-to-year declines since 1997. At the national level, the rate of motorcyclist fatalities per vehicle mile traveled is 29 times higher than the rate among passenger car occupants, with overall injury rates approximately five times higher among motorcyclists than passenger car occupants. Given the frequency of motorcycle crashes and their staggering toll in terms of loss of life and economic …

Bridge Inspection Training And Enhanced Operations Using Augmented Reality, Fernando Moreu, Ali Mohammadkhorasani, Kaveh Malek

Publications

This research project focused on the innovative application of Augmented Reality (AR) headsets to enhance bridge inspection processes and inspection training. The study encompassed the visualization of 3D point cloud data, utilized the Eye-Tracking features of AR headsets for inspection quantification, evaluate the applicability of AR in the bridge inspection training and instruction of an AR virtual menu for the in-field bridge inspection. The primary tasks included establishing a database connection for AR headset, designing an AR menu tailored for bridge inspection, devising an evaluation method based on Eye-Tracking capabilities, and integrating AR into bridge inspection training. Once the technical …

Deep Reinforcement Learning-Based Digital Twin For Risk Improved Decision Making In Transportation Construction, Yong-Cheol Lee, Anisha Deria

Publications

Organizing and overseeing a large number of transportation construction and maintenance projects that generally entail several miles of a worksite are a critical burden for each DOT. In addition, it requires manual monitoring of a project or construction managers to identify a progress status, a work activity, and a safety issue in a job site. Because of the projected huge volume, complexity, significant impacts of future transportation infrastructure projects, it is evident that we are now facing a critical need to create a means of improving the results of work zone management and evaluating their impacts on our society. In …

The Effect Of Covid-19 Lockdown On Traffic Crashes In Texas., Hatim Sharif, Samer Dessouky

Publications

An analysis of traffic patterns during COVID-19 has identified that reduction in the miles traveled has a significant negative correlation with COVID-19 cases and deaths across the USA. Preliminary statistics in the US suggest an increase in fatal crashes over the period of the lockdown in comparison to the same period in previous years. Moreover, while total crashes are down, motor vehicle crashes involving non-motorists became more prevalent. At the same time, non-motorist traffic has increased while motor vehicle traffic and crashes have shifted to the local systems. The main goal of this research is to perform a comprehensive evaluation …

Calcined Clays As Alternative Supplementary Cementitious Material And Precursor For Geopolymer Binders In Transportation Infrastructure, Hassan Noorvand, Miladin Radovic, Marwa Hassan, Adriana A. Alvarado, Oscar Huang

Publications

This project aimed to assess the feasibility of using locally sourced calcined kaolinitic clays both as supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) and as precursors for synthesizing geopolymers (GPs). For SCMs, a comprehensive set of characterizations was conducted, including X-ray fluorescence (XRF), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), particle size analysis, and loss on ignition (LOI), along with evaluations of concrete properties such as strength activity index (SAI), slump, air content, compressive strength, and surface resistivity. For GPs, compressive strength was tested. The study yielded several key findings: (1) Three types of calcined clays (CCs) were analyzed based …

Prediction Of Moisture Resistance Of Polymeric Asphalt Binders Through The Atomic Force Microscopy (Afm) Technique, Zahid Hossain, Ashraf Elsayed, Khaja Sameer Sadat

Publications

Moisture damage is a significant concern for state Departments of Transportation (DOTs) and other agencies due to its adverse impact on pavement performance as well as longevity. The main focus of the current study project is to quantify, at the molecular level, the interaction between binder and aggregate at the interface level in the form of adhesion forces between bitumen samples and minerals of various chemical compositions. First of all, A thorough review of the literature on moisture degradation in asphalts was conducted. Based on the literature review, a comprehensive project plan and test matrix were created. Binder samples from …

Early-Age Strength Monitoring Of Sensor-Embedded 3d Printed Structures, Ali Kazemian, Marwa Hassan, Hassan Noorvand, Gabriel Arce, Kasra Banijamali

Publications

Construction 3D printing (C3DP) is an automated technology that has the potential to reduce the construction time and cost by utilizing different types of robotic systems. Due to the absence of formwork in C3DP, potential excessive water evaporation can cause issues to the freshly-printed structures that are exposed to the ambient curing condition. Moreover, the 3D printed elements should carry the service loads in a short time after printing to provide a load-bearing capacity. Destructive and non-destructive methods are the two types of methods that are being used in the construction industry for quality monitoring. Due to the time-consuming nature …

Ethical Decision-Making In Older Drivers During Critical Driving Situations: An Online Experiment, Amandeep Singh, Sarah Yahoodik, Yovela Murzello, Samuel Petkac, Yusuke Yamani, Siby Samuel

Psychology Faculty Publications

The present study examined the impact of aging on ethical decision-making in simulated critical driving scenarios. 204 participants from North America, grouped into two age groups (18–30 years and 65 years and above), were asked to decide whether their simulated automated vehicle should stay in or change from the current lane in scenarios mimicking the Trolley Problem. Each participant viewed a video clip rendered by the driving simulator at Old Dominion University and pressed the space-bar if they decided to intervene in the control of the simulated automated vehicle in an online experiment. Bayesian hierarchical models were used to analyze …

Analysis Of Traffic Conflicts With Right Turning Vehicles At Unsignalized Intersections In Suburban Areas, Abbas Sheykhfard, Farshidreza Haghighi, Sarah Bakhtiari, Sara Moridpour, Kun Xie, Grigorios Fountas

Civil & Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

Right-turn collisions at intersections are one of the most dominant crash types in suburban areas, especially at unsignalized intersections. There is, however, a lack of comprehensive research on the speed patterns of vehicles during right-turn manoeuvres and their impact on crashes. To provide an in-depth investigation of the factors determining the safety of right-turn manoeuvres, driving behaviour data were collected through an instrumented vehicle study. Using this data, binary logistic regression models were developed to identify the factors affecting the probability of Vehicle-Vehicle (V-V) and Vehicle-Pedestrian (V-P) conflicts at six suburban intersections in Babol, Iran, during right-turn stage manoeuvres. In …

Contribution Of High Turbidity To Tidal Dynamics In A Curved Channel In Zhoushan Islands, China, Li Li, Fangzhou Shen, Zhiguo He, Gangfeng Ma, Jiachen Wang, Kailong Huangfu

Civil & Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

The curved tidal channel, Luotou Deep-water Navigational Channel, is the main channel of the Ningbo Zhoushan Port, which is ranked first in the world. Tidal dynamics in the channel are spatially and temporally asymmetric. In this study, the three-dimensional tidal dynamics in the channel were analyzed using field data and simulated using FVCOM. The results show that the tides in the channel flood/ebb along the northern/southern bank near the bottom/surface layer and these asymmetries are due to the imbalanced Coriolis force, centrifugal force, sea-level gradient, and density gradient. Residual current velocity peaks (0.7 m/s) in the middle of the channel …

Modeling Coupled Driving Behavior During Lane Change: A Multi-Agent Transformer Reinforcement Learning Approach, Hongyu Guo, Mehdi Keyvan-Ekbatani, Kun Xie

Civil & Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

In a lane change (LC) scenario, the lane change vehicle interacts with surrounding vehicles. The interactions not only affect their driving behaviors but also influence the traffic flow. This study aims to model the coupled behavior of the lane changer and the follower in the target lane during LC. Large-scale real-world connected vehicle (CV) data from the Safety Pilot Model Deployment (SPMD) program are used to extract LCs and study vehicle interactions. A multi-agent Transformer-based deep deterministic policy gradient (MA-TDDPG) method is proposed to model the coupled behaviors during LC. The multi-agent framework can handle the multiple agents’ behaviors with …

Estimation Of Origin-Destination Matrix Using Open-Source Applications Based On Traffic Counts For Mansoura City In Egypt, Ahmed N. Awaad, Sherif M. El-Badawy, Elsayed Abd-Elazem Shwaly, Usama Elrawy Shahdah

Mansoura Engineering Journal

Origin-destination matrices (ODMs) are essential to transportation planning but estimating them can be difficult and expensive. This study presents a framework for estimating ODMs using traffic flow counts using open-source tools. The framework was applied to a dataset from the city of Mansoura in Egypt. The Flowrouter algorithm, which is part of the SUMO microscopic traffic simulation model, was used for routing traffic between traffic flow counting locations. Additionally, the “Implausible Routes” algorithm was used to eliminate unrealistic routes from the generated solution. The results show that the ODM obtained is a reasonable representation of the demand between the different …

Estimating Passenger Demand Trends And Passenger Characteristics Along Raml Tram, Hassan Mahdi, Raghdaa Al-Mahdi, Amir Al Samman, Enas Nashed, Noor Elmitiny, Yousra El Gohary, Mohamed Gharieb, Ahmed Elmahyli, Zainab Taha, Abdalla Kandil

Mansoura Engineering Journal

The main objective of this paper is to estimate the current passenger demand trends and passenger perception of Raml Tram usage. In order to undertake this task it was needed to conduct passenger count in addition to undertaking passenger survey along Raml Tram. The main conclusions of this research shows that the maximum number of passengers in summer is 373 compared to the corresponding value which is 420 passengers in school time for Bakous line. similarly, maximum number of passengers in summer is 279 compared to the corresponding value which is 347 passengers in school time for Bakous line. This …

Railroad Condition Monitoring Using Distributed Acoustic Sensing And Deep Learning Techniques, Md Arifur Rahman

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Proper condition monitoring has been a major issue among railroad administrations since it might cause catastrophic dilemmas that lead to fatalities or damage to the infrastructure. Although various aspects of train safety have been conducted by scholars, in-motion monitoring detection of defect occurrence, cause, and severity is still a big concern. Hence extensive studies are still required to enhance the accuracy of inspection methods for railroad condition monitoring (CM). Distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) has been recognized as a promising method because of its sensing capabilities over long distances and for massive structures. As DAS produces large datasets, algorithms for precise …

A Practical Framework For Component-Level Structural Health Monitoring Of The Gerald Desmond Bridge, Mehran Rahmani, Vesna Terzic, Andrea Calabrese, Brittany Cambell

Mineta Transportation Institute

Bridges serve as critical transportation infrastructure, but traditional maintenance inspection to ensure their safety is time-consuming, costly, and labor-intensive, especially for larger and more complex structures. This study presents a practical framework for the instrumentation, data acquisition, and remote condition assessment of the Gerald Desmond Bridge, California’s largest cable-stayed bridge. The framework aims to establish a foundation for real-time or near real-time remote health monitoring of the bridge’s critical elements. The study highlights the advantages of remote monitoring in terms of efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and early detection of damage.

Characterization Of Recent Wild Pig‑Vehicle Collisions In Georgia, Usa, Jeremiah L. Psiropoulos, Emily Howe, John J. Mayer, Sophie C. Mckee

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Vehicle collisions with wild pigs (Sus scrofa) are reported almost everywhere this species is found. However, this is one of the least studied and characterized forms of damage that these invasive animals cause in the United States (US). We analyzed 518 wild pig-vehicle collisions (WPVCs) that took place statewide in Georgia between 2015 and 2021. From that dataset, we analyzed several parameters in order to better understand and characterize these accidents on a scale that had previously not been done in the US. Wild pig-vehicle collisions were reported from 105 out of the 159 counties in Georgia, increasing …

A Study On The Preferred Teleworking Policy By The Private Sector And Its Implication To The Demand On Transport Infrastructure (Case Study: Greater Jakarta Area), Alvinsyah Alvinsyah, Edy Hadian, Wahyu Aji Syahputra

CSID Journal of Infrastructure Development

This study examines the implementation of a teleworking policy with a work-from-home (WFH) scheme from a private company perspective and its implications on the Greater Jakarta’s proposed urban rail network’s carrying capacity. Using descriptive and inferential statistical analyses, a representative percentage of employees capable of working from home was determined. This figure, found to be sixty percent, was then employed in a macro transport model simulation to assess its impact on urban rail network demand. The results of the statistical analysis indicate that sixty percent of the company's workforce can still permitted to work remotely. The model simulation conducted indicates …

Reducing Food Scarcity: The Benefits Of Urban Farming, S.A. Claudell, Emilio Mejia

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

Urban farming can enhance the lives of communities and help reduce food scarcity. This paper presents a conceptual prototype of an efficient urban farming community that can be scaled for a single apartment building or an entire community across all global geoeconomics regions, including densely populated cities and rural, developing towns and communities. When deployed in coordination with smart crop choices, local farm support, and efficient transportation then the result isn’t just sustainability, but also increasing fresh produce accessibility, optimizing nutritional value, eliminating the use of ‘forever chemicals’, reducing transportation costs, and fostering global environmental benefits.

Imagine Doris, who is …

Production Of Cast-In-Place Uhpc For Bridge Applications, Jiong Hu, George Morcous, Akbota Aitbayeva

Nebraska Department of Transportation: Research Reports

This project presents a comprehensive overview of the essential aspects associated with the cast-in-place application of UHPC, including formwork requirements, surface preparation, mixing procedures, placing methods, curing techniques, grinding specifications, and mockup construction. Each section provides in-depth insights into specific guidelines and practices outlined by various regulatory bodies. The research team has developed training materials designed for a full-day workshop tailored to benefit both contractors and NDOT engineers. This workshop comprises key topics such as proportioning, batching, testing, and the placement of both non-proprietary and proprietary UHPC mixes, as well as hands-on experience in batching, testing, and placing UHPC. The …

Low-Cement Concrete Mixture For Bridge Decks And Rails, Soumitra Das, George Morcous Ph.D., Jiong Hu

Nebraska Department of Transportation: Research Reports

Right after construction, drying shrinkage of restrained concrete bridge decks and rails causes early-age cracking, insertion of water and chemicals, and corrosion of reinforcing steel that eventually leads to delamination and spalling of concrete. The main objective of this research is to control early-age shrinkage cracking by reducing cementitious material content in bridge deck and rail concrete mixtures. Several reduced cementitious materials concrete (RCMC) mixtures were developed by optimizing aggregate particle packing and conducting overall performance evaluation. This evaluation was carried out in three phases. The first phase investigated the feasibility of new RCMC mixtures by testing workability, compressive strength, …

Decoding Usage And Adoption Behavior Of The Low-Carbon Transportation Market: An Ai-Driven Exploration, Vuban Chowdhury

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The transportation sector stands as a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions in the United States, with its environmental impact steadily escalating over the past few decades. This has prompted government agencies to facilitate the adoption and usage of low-carbon transportation (LCT) options as alternatives to fossil-fuel-powered transportation. LCTs include modes of transportation that minimize the overall carbon footprint of the transportation sector by relying on energy sources that are environmentally sustainable. These sustainable transportation options have also garnered significant interest in the transportation research community. For government agencies and researchers alike, a comprehensive understanding of the adoption and usage …

Examining The Impact Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On Older Adults' Activity Participation And Mode Usage In A Rural State: A Case Study Of Arkansas, Arna Nishita Nithila

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The objective of the study was to investigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the activity participation and mode usage of older adults residing in Arkansas, a predominantly rural state. Leveraging primary data collected from 1,017 older adult participants, the study employed Latent Class Analysis (LCA) to capture older adults’ heterogeneity in travel behavior and found three distinct classes: Frequent Traveler, Moderate Traveler, and Non-Traveler, based on their activity participation, mode usage during the pandemic and the pandemic’s impact on their trips. Subsequently, a Multinomial Logit Model (MNL) was employed to examine how socio-demographic attributes, residential locations, and health …

Determining The Effect Of The Presence Of Food Deserts On The Number Of Crashes In Census Tracts In Arkansas, Lizbeth Juarez-Bartolo

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Food deserts, areas with limited access to grocery stores which sell fresh produce, dairy, and meats, are a growing concern in many communities. The presence of a food desert is known to cause great impacts on the physical health of the people residing within them, but there is little to no research on a food desert’s influence on the traffic safety of the location in which it encompasses. Based on previous studies into food deserts, studies suggest that food inaccessibility is mostly felt by rural residents. Since rural residents must travel farther distances on more hazardous rural roadways to access …

Developing Asphalt Mix Design Specifications Based On Apa And Ideal-Ct Testing, Jonathan Stonestreet

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Some asphalt mixes, following the Superpave mix design procedure, have been reported to be too stiff, making cracking a prevalent form of pavement distress. Additionally, cracking has been reported to be the main form of distress of asphalt pavements in the State of Arkansas. These facts have heightened state agencies’ interest in better performing asphalt pavements, with Arkansas resolving to explore performance-based balanced mix designs (BMD), not yet explored in the state. The primary objective of this document is to present the completed study of balanced mix designs, based on the rutting and cracking potential of asphalt pavement mixtures through …

Structural Performance And Resiliency Of Reinforced Concrete Bridge Pier Columns, Multi-Column Piers, And Bridge Systems Subjected To Multiple Hazards – Fire, Collision, And Air Blast, Qusai Abdulkarim Alomari

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

Given their close proximity to traffic and improper employment of protective systems, bridges and bridge piers are vulnerable to multi-hazard events triggered by vehicle collisions coupled with correlated and cascading events, such as explosions and fires. Despite recent catastrophic incidents that have highlighted the profound consequences of these extreme demands, including substantial damage, adverse economic impact, and loss of life, there has been a notable lack of research investigating the performance of bridges and bridge structural components under the aforementioned multi-hazards. Furthermore, current bridge design codes do not address these events assuming that, after these destructive events, replacement of the …