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| SPR 688 |
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Improving Commercial Vehicle Safety in Oregon
| Project Coordinator: |
June Ross |
| Research Agency: |
Portland State University |
| Principal Investigator: |
James Strathman |
| Start Date for ODOT: |
November 2008 |
| Completion Date for ODOT: |
October 2009 |
OBJECTIVES:
The main objectives of the project are twofold: 1) to gain an understanding of the comparative status of Oregon’s MCSAP investment of resources and enforcement efforts targeting safety improvements relative to the efforts of other states, particularly those with low or declining CMV fatality rates; and 2) (having identified a group of peer states whose safety enforcement programs have demonstrated successful performance) to identify enforcement strategies and practices that selected states have found to be successful, and assess their feasibility for implementation in Oregon.
The products or outcomes expected from the two objectives include the following:
1. A typology of state MCSAPs distinguished by differentiated resource investments in the primary program areas of driver/vehicle inspections; traffic enforcement; compliance reviews; public education and awareness; and data collection, as documented in the states’ Commercial Vehicle Safety Plans.
2. An inventory of state-specific safety objectives and initiatives, as reported in the state Commercial Vehicle Safety Plans.
3. Clusterings of states on the combined basis of primary program resource allocations, targeted safety initiatives, and other indicators influencing commercial vehicle safety.
4. Interview information from MCSAP managers of the selected clustering of Oregon’s peer states. The information would document the strategies motivating their resource investments and targeted safety initiatives, and the practices they have implemented.
5. Candidate safety enforcement practices from peer states that can serve as a basis for revising existing practices in Oregon or introducing new practices.
OVERVIEW:
FMCSA designed MCSAP to be data-driven and results-oriented. States have considerable flexibility in directing resources and effort within their plans and programs to achieve the greatest improvement in safety. In turn, federal matching support includes an incentive component linked to state MCSAP performance. As a result, objectives, strategies, and practices vary among state MCSAPs. Oregon’s MCSAP is distinguished by its greater emphasis on drivers, reflecting the state’s CMV safety experience and research identifying driver actions as the critical reason for 87% of large truck crashes (FMCSA, 2007).
Generally, the enforcement activities emphasized in the Oregon MCSAP have been shown to be important interventions in mitigating CMV safety risks (Cambridge Systematics and MaineWay Services, 2006; Knipling et al., 2004; TRB, 2007). FMCSA’s ongoing research efforts, through its violations severity assessment study (VSAS), are revealing detailed insights on the specific types of safety violations that pose the greatest CMV crash risk (Gruberg, 2008). Such findings offer the prospect of improving the effectiveness of screening tools used to identify high-risk candidates for roadside inspections. Several other FMCSA information/technology initiatives, now in pilot and demonstration phases, also hold promise for future improvements in both the level and effectiveness of field safety enforcement activities (Flanigan, 2008; Loftus, 2008).
While recognizing the potential that current FMCSA initiatives offer for improving future safety enforcement activities, ODOT’s MCTD is interested in gaining knowledge about the safety enforcement practices and strategies used in other states that offer promise for improving safety in the more immediate future in Oregon.
PROPOSED ACTIVITIES:
The results of the project will be disseminated in a variety of ways. The final report will be published and posted on the ODOT Research Unit web site, making it easily accessible to transportation professionals in Oregon and elsewhere. The principal investigator will also be available to discuss the findings with interested parties in ODOT. The findings may also be submitted for presentation at the annual meeting of the Transportation Research Board and publication in the Transportation Research Record or other transportation journal.
ODOT Motor Carrier Transportation Division will use the results to identify enhancements for their current safety program.
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| SPR 710 |
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Analysis and Design of Pipe Ramming Installations
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| SPR 711 |
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Internal Curing of Concrete Bridge Decks
| Project Coordinator: |
Steve Soltesz |
| Research Agency: |
Oregon State University |
| Principal Investigator: |
Jason Ideker |
| Start Date for ODOT: |
July 1, 2009 |
| Completion Date for ODOT: |
December 31, 2011 |
OBJECTIVES:
The goal of this research project is to determine if the incorporation of saturated lightweight aggregate into high-performance concrete bridge deck mixtures can significantly reduce external curing requirements (currently 14 days) while maintaining crack-free or crack-resistant concrete. While research has already shown the benefits of reducing cracking risk due to autogenous shrinkage through the incorporation of saturated fine LWA it is necessary to further this technology to quantify the potential reductions in external curing.
Specific research objectives are:
– Identify high-performance concrete mixture proportions incorporating saturated fine LWA which will provide sufficient internal curing to reduce autogenous shrinkage and subsequent cracking risk
– Identify significantly shortened external curing regimes that will complement the use of internal saturated fine LWA to reduce early-age cracking risk in high performance concrete bridge decks
– Demonstrate effectiveness of selected strategies in small scale field trials/applications identified through collaborative efforts with ODOT
– Provide guidelines for contractors and finishers to take advantage of new materials/mixture proportions identified in this research program to provide internal curing in high performance concrete applications
– Expand existing literature and state-of-knowledge in this area and bring new expertise to the state of Oregon related to internal curing through use of lightweight saturated aggregate
OVERVIEW:
Current Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) Standard Specifications for curing of high-performance bridge deck concrete requires wet curing be initiated within 20 minutes of the final pass of the finishing machine and not greater than 20 feet from the back of the pavement machine. This wet cure is specified for a duration of 14 days with longer curing possible if cooler ambient temperatures (T < 45 °F) are encountered during the initial 14-day period. This long wet cure reduces evaporation that can lead to cracking, and it provides water to the bulk concrete to participate in the chemical reactions in the cement paste during curing. While this curing period reduces bridge deck cracking, the time requirement represents a significant burden on constructability and project scheduling. There is a need for accelerated/alternate curing techniques that will allow for increased construction efficiency while still producing crack-free or crack-resistant high-performance concrete bridge decks.
PROPOSED ACTIVITIES:
While interim reports and a final report will be issued as part of this research project, providing detailed summation of all work performed under this project to complement the ODOT research database it will also be essential to disseminate information in a variety of other ways. Actively involved in ACI, Dr. Ideker and his research team will make at least one presentation at a national meeting of ACI regarding the research findings of this project. It is also anticipated that the graduate student researcher will make a presentation early-on at a national ACI Convention, either in a Research in Progress Session or Open Paper Session. As a voting member of ASTM C01 and C09 (cement and concrete/aggregates subcommittees, respectively), knowledge gained under this project will allow Dr. Ideker to provide expertise to this key international standardization body. Dr. Ideker and his research team will also publish several technical journal articles related to the research findings in the top technical journals in the field of concrete materials research (Cement and Concrete Research, ACI Materials Journal, ASCE Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering, etc.).
In addition to technical presentations and articles, the research team will work closely with ODOT to ensure involvement from a variety of agencies during field trials/investigations. Key personnel from ODOT, FHWA, and the Oregon Concrete and Aggregate Producers Association will observe the field trials during casting and finishing and at key stages of curing. Input from these personnel will be critical for developing guidelines that are realistic for concrete production and construction practices that can be incorporated into ODOT specifications. Dr. Ideker will work closely with ODOT to ensure that an updates to ODOT specifications, as a result of this research project are clearly defined, updated and disseminated to relevant parties. Dr. Ideker will be glad to help ODOT in the development of a training workshop or manual to better provide contractors with information to successfully incorporate strategies identified in this research project to reduce early-age cracking in high-performance concrete.
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| SPR 712 |
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Near-Surface Mounted CFRPs for Shear Strengthening
| Project Coordinator: |
Steve Soltesz |
| Research Agency: |
Oregon State University |
| Principal Investigator: |
Chris Higgins |
| Start Date for ODOT: |
July 2009 |
| Completion Date for ODOT: |
December 2011 |
OBJECTIVES:
The objectives of the proposed research are:
· Develop analysis, design, detailing, and installation quality assurance recommendations for NSM-CFRP shear applications.
· Compare the cost of NSM versus external CFRP reinforcement installations.
1.1 Benefits
Research will reduce project costs and improve bridge strengthening project outcomes by enabling effective and durable design alternatives that may make use of NSM-CFRP materials to minimize installation labor and reduce the amount of inorganic chemical compounds used for repairs. Findings may also be extended to flexural strengthening. Finally, this project will further enhance ODOT’s leadership role in applications of CFRP materials for bridge strengthening.
OVERVIEW:
ODOT is actively engaged in bridge rehabilitation and strengthening throughout the state. One area of focus has been in shear strengthening of conventional reinforced concrete deck girder bridges (RCDG). A number of methods have been deployed including internal and external supplemental steel stirrups, post-tensioning, surface-bonded carbon fiber reinforced polymers (CFRP), and post-tensioning.
A new strengthening system called near-surface-mount CFRP has emerged that may permit shear and flexural strengthening of RCDG bridge members. This relatively new technology involves cutting a groove in the surface concrete, filling the groove with an epoxy adhesive, and positioning CFRP material (often a carbon fiber tape or precured laminates) in the groove. The installation requires substantially less labor and uses significantly less inorganic adhesive materials than alternative CFRP methods. Test results completed at Oregon State University (OSU) on a single large girder with NSM-CFRP show promise for use of this material, but additional data are needed. Further, recent research on environmental durability of surface bonded CFRP for shear strengthening (a common alternative technique using bonded polymers) showed that for some cases, exposure to 300 cycles of freeze-thaw combined with available moisture can result in significant strength deterioration of the strengthened member and thus there is some uncertainty in the long-term performance of these systems. NSM application of CFRP appears to have advantages over more common surface-bonded CFRPs because the adhesive is applied within the groove which improves bonding between the two materials and may be more resistant to environmental degradation, as moisture cannot get trapped behind the material and lead to progressive strength loss from freeze-thaw exposure. However, NSM-CFRP for strengthening is a new technique with little available test data and has undocumented long-term durability under environmental exposure and fatigue conditions.
Due to this lack of information, it is uncertain if NSM-CFRPs will provide the resistance needed for shear strengthening over time. Experimental results are needed to quantify the structural performance of members strengthened with NSM-CFRP for validation of design methods for shear strengthening, as well as to enhance economy, and refine detailing and constructability. Further, experience with NSM-CFRP may facilitate other applications such as flexural strengthening of bridge members with poor flexural cut-off details.
PROPOSED ACTIVITIES:
Meetings and workshops will be held with ODOT personnel to present research findings in-progress as well as summary findings. Background information and findings will be described in reports, papers, and peer-reviewed journals. Design examples will be provided for the methods developed. Results will be reported at local, regional, and national meetings and symposia.
Web-based access to in-progress test data and images, analytical methods, and summary findings will be available on-line where appropriate.
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| SPR 713 |
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Asphalt Binder Grade Selection for HMAC with RAP/RAS
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| SPR 714 |
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Feasibility of Using Safety Edge in Oregon
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| SPR 715 |
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Effect of Fluvial Performance Standard on Maintenance
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| SPR 716 |
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Supplemental Performance Measures for OHP Mobility Standards
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| SPR 717 |
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Relating TSMO Strategies to Policy Goals
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| SPR 718 |
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Mechanistic Design Guide Calibration for Pavement Rehabilitation
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| SPR 719 |
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Climate Change Impact on Coastal River Estuaries in Oregon
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| SPR 720 |
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Quantifying Safety Performance of Driveways on State Highways
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| SPR 721 |
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Evaluation of Alternative Pedestrian Traffic Control Devices
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