Energy Developments and the Transportation Infrastructure in Texas: Impacts and Strategies (open access)

Energy Developments and the Transportation Infrastructure in Texas: Impacts and Strategies

"This report describes the work completed to measure the impact of increased level of energy-related activities on the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) right-of-way and infrastructure, as well as develop recommendations to reduce and manage TxDOT's exposure and risk resulting from those activities."
Date: March 2012
Creator: Quiroga, CeĢsar A.; Fernando, E. G. & Oh, Jeongho
System: The Portal to Texas History
Evaluation of traffic control devices : year 3 (open access)

Evaluation of traffic control devices : year 3

Report summarizing the research activities that were conducted between September 2010 and August 2011. The five primary activities were evaluating nighttime visibility along rural highways with bright signs, continuing the evaluation of lead-free thermoplastic pavement markings, evaluating contrast pavement marking layouts, continuing the evaluation of accelerated pavement marking test decks, and providing district support for hurricane evacuation routing.
Date: March 2012
Creator: Carlson, Paul J.; Pike, Adam M.; Miles, Jeff D.; Ullman, Brooke R. & Borchardt, Darrel W.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Subbase and Subgrade Performance Investigation and Design Guidelines for Concrete Pavement (open access)

Subbase and Subgrade Performance Investigation and Design Guidelines for Concrete Pavement

Report regarding research into cheaper alternatives for the construction of pavement subbases that maintains adequate pavement performance.
Date: March 2012
Creator: Jung, Youn su; Zollinger, Dan G.; Cho, Byoung Hooi; Won, Mooncheol & Wimsatt, Andrew James, 1964-
System: The Portal to Texas History
Collision Loads on Bridge Piers: Phase 2. Report of Guidelines for Designing Bridge Piers and Abutments for Vehicle Collisions (open access)

Collision Loads on Bridge Piers: Phase 2. Report of Guidelines for Designing Bridge Piers and Abutments for Vehicle Collisions

"An instrumented, simulated bridge pier was constructed, and two full-scale collisions with an 80,000-lb van-type tractor-trailer were performed on it. The trailer was ballasted with bags of sand on pallets. The simulated pier was 36 inches in diameter and was supported in the longitudinal direction by two load cells. Force-versus-time data were obtained from the load cells."
Date: March 2011
Creator: Buth, Eugene; Brackin, Michael S.; Williams, William F. & Fry, Gary T.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Development of field performance evaluation tools and program for pavement marking materials: technical report (open access)

Development of field performance evaluation tools and program for pavement marking materials: technical report

Report on a project is to investigate field evaluation plans and procedures, and develop field performance-based evaluation procedures for pavement marking materials.
Date: March 2011
Creator: Zhang, Yunlong; Ge, Hancheng; Pike, Adam & Carlson, Paul J.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Field and laboratory investigations for Full Depth Reclamation projects (open access)

Field and laboratory investigations for Full Depth Reclamation projects

Full-depth reclamation (FDR) offers a timely, cost-effective solution to restore a pavement's condition. However, FDR represents only one technique in the engineer's toolkit available for addressing deteriorating pavement conditions. The purpose of this project is to provide guidance on determining whether a pavement is a candidate for FDR and, if so, what design, construction, and inspection processes will maximize the performance of the completed reclamation. This report presents initial recommendations for selecting a candidate FDR project and developing design options (including field sampling and lab design protocols). Along with a literature review, these recommendations are illustrated by application on several projects in the Texas Department of Transportation's Austin and Dallas Districts.
Date: March 2011
Creator: Sebesta, Stephen; Scullion, Thomas & Estakhri, Cindy K.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Manual for Assessing Safety Hardware test 3-11 on the Texas T101 bridge rail (open access)

Manual for Assessing Safety Hardware test 3-11 on the Texas T101 bridge rail

Report on a study examining the impact performance of T101 bridge rails with pickup trucks. The study determined the T101 bridge rail did not meet Manual for Assessing Safety Hardware evaluation criteria for test 3-11 and the vehicle overturned after losing contact with the barrier.
Date: March 2011
Creator: Bligh, Roger P. & Menges, Wanda L.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Operational Performance Management of Priced Facilities (open access)

Operational Performance Management of Priced Facilities

"This study provides a framework in which operating decisions for priced facilities can be made and can guide the changes in operational strategies for a facility over time" (p. i).
Date: March 2011
Creator: Goodin, Ginger; Burris, Mark; Lomax, Timothy J.; Geiselbrecht, Tina & Brydia, Robert
System: The Portal to Texas History
Prototype Design for a Predictive Model to Improve Evacuation Operations: Technical Report (open access)

Prototype Design for a Predictive Model to Improve Evacuation Operations: Technical Report

"This project focused primarily on the specific issue of developing a new technical tool to help TxDOT and other key operating agencies/stakeholders better predict when major elements of evacuation operations should be implemented."
Date: March 2011
Creator: Henk, Russell H.; Songchitruksa, Praprut; Venglar, Steven & Lim, Gino
System: The Portal to Texas History