"This research project evaluates numerous transportation issues and develops findings and/or recommendations based on results. This project has been structured to address some of the emerging, critical, and unique considerations related to transportation."

Report on crash tests conducted to evaluate the performance of a Texas T223 concrete beam and post bridge rail anchored with 5-inch cast-in-place deck. The test concluded that the 5-inch cast-in-place deck met the required MASH regulations.

"This research had the objectives of determining the minimum rail height and lateral design impact load for MASH test level 4 bridge rails. Using parametric finite element analysis and subsequent crash testing, the researchers determined the minimum recommended rail height for MASH TL-4 impact conditions to be 36 inches. Later Design impact for MASH TL-4 test conditions was determined to be 80 kips."

"This research program conducted a large experimental program, which consisted of the design, construction, curing, deterioration, and structural load testing of 16 large-scale column specimens with a critical lap splice region, and then compared and calibrated models developed in the analytical program with the experimental behavior. Specimens were carefully instrumented both internally and externally to monitor the strain behavior of the concrete and reinforcing steel from specimen construction, curing, deterioration, and final structural load testing."

This report discusses safety, effectiveness, and economic costs of the mechanical and herbicide-chemical side-trimming methods.

"Expansive soil is considered one of the most common causes of pavement distresses in FM roadways. Depending upon the moisture level, expansive soils will experience changes in volume due to moisture fluctuations from seasonal variations. The objective of this research was to evaluate existing repair projects on selected FM roadways. Those roadways experienced failures in the form of fatigue and rutting in the wheel path, and longitudinal (faulted) cracking including edge cracking. The causes of those failures were mainly linked to high PI expansive soil and narrow pavement" (from abstract).

"In the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), flexible base producers typically generate large stockpiles of material exclusively for TxDOT projects. This large "state-only" inventory often maintained by producers, along with time requirements for testing and reduced manpower within TxDOT offices, resulted in this project's investigation into a mixture-design specification for flexible base. The goals of this project are to develop a flexible base specification that reduces TxDOT's burden for sampling and testing, reduces time and space burdens on producers for maintaining TxDOT-only stockpiles, and maintains or improves the quality of the base."

Technical report on TxDOT's use of inerial profilers on concrete and asphalt surfaces with different textures.

"This report documents the placing, cost, and performance of the HeatWurx pavement patching process, which uses infrared heating to make the pavement soft enough to mill and scarify so that it can be mixed with a rejuvenator and pavement millings to form a patch that stays bonded to the surrounding material."

Report presenting the findings of a research project to investigate the fatigue cracking and failure of galvanized high mast illumination poles used by the Texas Department of Transportation.

Technical report on the advantages of two-lift concrete paving (2LCP) instead on a single homogeneous layer.

This report evaluates the severity of the deterioration in bridges to determine if microbial induced deterioration (MID) is a significant contributor by visual inspection and a number of tests on twelve selected columns. This report also evaluates the effectiveness of suggested test procedures on identifying microbial attack on concrete and the integrity of deteriorated concrete due to the attack.

This report provides guidance towards defining adverse drainage structures for mitigation of hydrologic and hydraulic impacts.

"This report provides: an overview of a proposed three-tier system, preliminary results from a state department of transportation (DOT) survey, initial estimates of required funding, ideas of UTP Category 1 Formula, and an overview of the status of mobility."

"This three-year research effort was undertaken to identify factors that influence the number and severity of roadway departure crashes on rural two-lane highways in Texas and provide engineering countermeasures to reduce this type of crash. The study objectives were accomplished by analyzing crash, traffic flow, and geometric data between 2003 and 2008 and conducting site visits at 20 sites having the highest crash rates at four TxDOT districts."

"The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) is currently designing typical highway bridge structures as simply supported using standard precast, pretension-ed girders. TxDOT is interested in developing additional economical design alternatives for longer span bridges, through the use of the continuous precast, pretension-ed concrete bridge structures that use spliced girder technology. The objectives of this portion of the study are to evaluate the current stat-of-the-art and practice relevant to continuous precast concrete girder bridges and recommend suitable continuity connections for use with typical Texas bridge girders."

"This project conducted state-of-the-practice surveys, focus groups, and driver surveys to develop test signs used for field deployment and evaluation regarding lane assignment on frontage roads and cross streets."

Report regarding treatment methods for controlling settlements of approach slabs of new bridge construction. The report is presented in two parts, with the first part concerns the compiling and presentation of documented information while the second part deals with field evaluation of methods to reduce settlement.

Technical report developing implementation-oriented guidelines on the use of auxiliary lanes constructed in Texas.

This report discusses a protocol using the Veris 3150 for determination of sulfate-rich soils, which has been implemented to two full-scale projects in Dallas and Paris Districts.

Technical report on replacing mild steel with steel fiber in prestressed concrete beams.

"This report provides a documentation of the work completed in Year 1 of the project including the following: 1) Literature review; 2) development of data collection and analysis plans, and 3) field test sections."

"The use of recycles asphalt shingles (RAS) in hot-mix asphalt (HMA) mixtures has the potential to significantly reduce the cost of asphalt paving mixes while conserving energy and preserving the environment. This report documents the best practices for the use of RAS in HMA in terms of Ras processing, characterizing the processed RAS (binder content,gradations, and performance grad [PG]), RAS mix design, production, and field construction."

This report evaluates four different subbase types, two different concrete mix design, three different curing compounds, and four different surface textures that researchers tested on a new section of continuously reinforced concrete pavement.