Identification of priority rail projects for Texas: initial methodology/user manual and guidebook (open access)

Identification of priority rail projects for Texas: initial methodology/user manual and guidebook

"This project developed a system of evaluative tools for the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) to prioritize its investments in rail-related projects on a statewide basis. This work is meant to ensure that the limited available funding for rail projects is applied in the most beneficial and efficient manner and is focused upon addressing TxDOT's strategic goals. From the findings, researches recommend a transparent methodology for evaluating proposed rail projects and establishing an initial process through which rail-related investments can periodically be re-evaluated."
Date: February 2012
Creator: Morgan, Curtis Alan
System: The Portal to Texas History
Development of precast bridge deck overhang system: technical report (open access)

Development of precast bridge deck overhang system: technical report

"The testing and analyses documented in this report (0-6100-3) provides a new equation for determining the number of shear pockets required for the various shear connector/coupler systems evaluated in this research. This equation was used to determine the number of shear pockets required for the newer TxDOT girders."
Date: February 2010
Creator: Kim, Young Hoon & Trejo, David
System: The Portal to Texas History
Internal trip capture estimator for mixed-use developments (open access)

Internal trip capture estimator for mixed-use developments

Report describing a spreadsheet tool for estimating trip generation for mixed-use developments, single developments that include different types of land use.
Date: February 2010
Creator: Bochner, Brian S. & Sperry, Benjamin R.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Development of a precast bridge deck overhang system (open access)

Development of a precast bridge deck overhang system

This research investigated the overhang and shear capacity of a precast overhang system for potential use during the construction of bridges with precast overhang panels. The research was performed in three phases: the Phase 1 research including work specifically for the Rock Creek Bridge in Parker County, Texas; the Phase 2 research for general precast overhang panels, and; the Phase 3 research investigating the shear capacity. Grout material characteristics were also assessed for possible use in the haunch; constructability issues were also addressed.
Date: February 2011
Creator: Trejo, David; Head, Monique H.; Mander, John; Mander, Thomas J.; Henley, Mathew; Scott, Reece et al.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Realtime monitoring of bridge scour using remote monitoring technology (open access)

Realtime monitoring of bridge scour using remote monitoring technology

Report on research performed on the application of instruments including accelerometers and tiltmeters to monitor bridge scour. The instrumentation on the two bridges does not show great hope of application of accelerometers to monitor bridge scour because of a lack of sufficient excitation from traffic. Tiltmeters can provide the integral behavior of the bridge, and therefore are very useful devices for scour monitoring. Guidelines and protocols for scour monitoring based on the US59 over Guadalupe River Bridge and the SH80 over San Antonio River Bridge are provided in the study.
Date: February 2011
Creator: Briaud, Jean-Louis; Hurlebaus, Stefan; Chang, Kuang-An; Yao, Congpu; Sharma, Hrishikesh; Yu, Ok-Youn et al.
System: The Portal to Texas History
Evaluating the Impact of Overweight Load Routing on Buried Utility Facilities [Report 1] (open access)

Evaluating the Impact of Overweight Load Routing on Buried Utility Facilities [Report 1]

From abstract: This report focuses on the year one project objectives, which were (a) provide a review of technical design and engineering requirements for utility accommodation in Texas, (b) provide a preliminary assessment of potential impact of overweight loads on buried utilities, (c) provide a preliminary assessment of Utility Accommodation Rules (UAR) adequacy to deal with overweight loads on buried utilities, (d) provide preliminary recommendations for a business process for Texas Department of Transportation overweight routing coordination, and (e) provide recommendations for the phase 2 utility damage evaluation.
Date: February 2011
Creator: Kraus, Edgar; Fernando, Emmanuel; Li, Yingfeng; Oh, Jeong Ho; Koncz, Nicholas & Quiroga, Cesar
System: The Portal to Texas History
Development of a MASH TL-3 median barrier gate (open access)

Development of a MASH TL-3 median barrier gate

Report regarding a median barrier gate designed to both offer protection to motorists and easier cross-median access for emergency and maintenance vehicles.
Date: February 2011
Creator: Bligh, Roger P.; Arrington, Dusty R.; Sheikh, Nauman Mansoor; Silvestri, Chiara & Menges, Wanda L.
System: The Portal to Texas History
The Overlay Tester : A Sensitivity Study to Improve Repeatability and Minimize Variability in the Test Results (open access)

The Overlay Tester : A Sensitivity Study to Improve Repeatability and Minimize Variability in the Test Results

"This report presents a comprehensive sensitivity evaluation of the critical steps of the Overlay Tester (OT) test procedure in an attempt to optimize the OT repeatability and minimize variability in the test results."
Date: February 2012
Creator: Walubita, Lubinda F.; Faruk, Abu N.; Das, Gautam; Tanvir, Hossain A.; Zhang, Jun & Scullion, Tom
System: The Portal to Texas History