Andrew Russ - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Andrew Russ

Low impact development techniques can be integrated into stormwater management of linear transpor... more Low impact development techniques can be integrated into stormwater management of linear transportation systems and afford opportunities to capitalize on the natural environment to mitigate stormwater. One of these techniques is the vegetated biofilter. A 4 ft (1.2 m) wide by 14 ft (4.3 m) long prototype vegetated biofilter was constructed on a moveable frame. Artificial runoff was delivered to the grass bed for four comprehensive tests at slopes and flow rates as follows: 8:1, medium; 4:1, medium; 2:1, medium; and 2:1, high. The medium and high flows represented storm runoff events typical in Ohio. Artificial runoff, formulated with metals and native soil, was applied to the bed at a “high” concentration for the first part of the event, followed by a “medium” concentration. During the simulation, samples were obtained from the inlet, surface runoff, and underdrain and analyzed for total and dissolved metals and TSS. Prior to and at the end of testing cores were extracted from the b...

This paper documents a laboratory study on the efficacy of the components of an exfiltration tren... more This paper documents a laboratory study on the efficacy of the components of an exfiltration trench, a Best Management Practice (BMP) utilized by the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT), to reduce pollutants in post construction stormwater runoff. Runoff flows through media layers of the trench, consisting of pervious concrete, aggregate and sand filter media. A laboratory scale model consisting of a specimen of one of two mixes of pervious concrete was used in a falling-head permeameter with the effluent subsequently filtered through a specimen of sand or manganese greensand filter media in a constant-head permeameter. The ODOT specified media were first characterized and then pollutant removal tests were conducted. Also, an alternative pervious concrete mix (recommended by the Ohio Ready MixConcrete Association (ORMCA)) and filter media (green sand) were investigated. The ODOT pervious concrete mix removed on average 39% of TSS from the artificial runoff, while the ORMCA mix ...

The vegetated biofilter is a low impact development technique that can be integrated into stormwa... more The vegetated biofilter is a low impact development technique that can be integrated into stormwater management of linear transportation systems and capitalize on the natural environment to mitigate stormwater. A 4 ft (1.2 m) wide by 14 ft (4.3 m) long prototype vegetated biofilter was constructed on a moveable frame. Artificial runoff was delivered to each of three grass beds for comprehensive tests at slopes and flow rates as follows: 8:1, medium; 4:1, medium; 2:1, medium; and 2:1, high. The medium and high flows represented storm runoff events typical in Ohio. First, baseline tests were performed to obtain concentrations of constituents native to the biofilter. Artificial runoff, formulated with metals, native soil, and motor oil, was applied to one bed at a “high” concentration for the first part of the event, followed by a “medium” concentration; a second bed received “medium” followed by “low” concentration runoff, and the third bed received “low” concentration followed by tap...

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the extended traffic signal light bulb longevity claims... more The purpose of this study was to evaluate the extended traffic signal light bulb longevity claims made by CLS for their CTCLS series load switches by testing in the field against conventional load switches in five different states (except Minnesota). In each state approximately 144 signalized intersections containing 512 load switches and 3456 bulbs were installed for the study, half using CTCLS load switches and half conventional load switches. The states involved were Ohio, Mississippi (the state and the city of Jackson), Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota (where no load switches or bulbs were installed), and Iowa (City of Waterloo). Four different major brands of bulbs were evaluated in the study (GE-Real, GE-Phillips, Sylvania, and Duro-test, with each brand assigned to a particular state (two states used Sylvania bulbs). Intersections used in the study were to be monitored and maintained for two years, and failed bulbs and load switches were tagged and returned to the study subcontractor, The Operator Performance Laboratory at the University of Iowa, for cataloging and analysis periodically during that time. The CLS claim that their CTCLS series load switches extended bulb life and reduced maintenance costs could not be investigated since ODOT decided to remove the CTCLS load switches due to safety and liability concerns after the several of the switches gave dual indications or other malfunctions. The study was then modified to study all the bulbs using only conventional load switches (3456 bulbs per state). In addition, the Duro-test company went bankrupt after the test started. Overall, the bulb life portion of the study produced little useful data. In all cases, the states and cities tagged and returned at most a fraction of the failed bulbs. It appears that the extra work caused by the study may have been asking too much of already busy maintenance personnel. Thus it seems that studies that rely on extra efforts by state personnel over a long period of time are at best difficult to carry out. The two bulb brands (GE-Real (Ohio) and Sylvania (Jackson MS)) for which reasonably complete data were made available from internal department records would be unsuitable for use in Ohio, both exceeding the ODOT 2% failure criterion for the first year. A group relamping spreadsheet was created and evaluated, using Ohio District 4 as a test case for a limited sensitivity analysis. A relatively easy to use Excel spreadsheet was devised to compute the costs of group relamping as a function of relamping interval. The model shows a shallow minimum region at about 10 months, providing a minimized annual cost of $38,719 to the district for maintaining their 273 signalized intersections. Results will vary somewhat in other districts or states, but the software can be applied to those cases as well. One of the two greatest difficulties involved with the model is the need to input the spot relamping distances from the maintenance facility to each signal and also the distances of travel to and within clusters of intersections each taking one day to relamp as a group. The other major difficulty is the need for bulb failure curve data. The intersections also need to be clustered before using the spreadsheet. The software will provide a table of overall traffic signal maintenance cost on an annual basis as a function of group relamping interval from 1 to 24 months, from which the optimum cost group relamping interval can be selected. The group relamping spreadsheet may be downloaded at http://webce.ent.ohiou.edu/orite/Group Relamping Model.html

Total number of words counting tables and figures as 250 words each: 7252 TRB 2003 Annual Meeting... more Total number of words counting tables and figures as 250 words each: 7252 TRB 2003 Annual Meeting CD-ROM Paper revised from original submittal. Nighttime Expert Panel Evaluation of Unlighted Overhead Guide Signs 1 A nighttime field evaluation of four different retroreflective overhead sign sheeting combinations (ASTM D 4956 types: beaded Type III legend on beaded Type III

Total number of words counting tables and figures as 250 words each: 7765 TRB 2003 Annual Meeting... more Total number of words counting tables and figures as 250 words each: 7765 TRB 2003 Annual Meeting CD-ROM Paper revised from original submittal. Zwahlen, et al., Photometric Evaluation of Unlighted Overhead Guide Signs 1 Overhead guide signs fabricated from four different retroreflective sheeting

Total number of words counting tables and figures as 250 words each: 7610 Helmut T. Zwahlen and A... more Total number of words counting tables and figures as 250 words each: 7610 Helmut T. Zwahlen and Andrew Russ 1 This is an investigation of the accuracy of the travel times displayed by a real-time travel time prediction system (TIPS) in a construction work zone. TIPS includes changeable message signs (CMSs) displaying the travel time and distance to the end of the work zone to motorists. The travel times displayed by these CMSs are computed by an intelligent traffic algorithm and travel-time estimation model of the TIPS software, which takes input from strategically placed microwave radar sensors that detect the vehicle traffic on each lane of the freeway. Besides the CMSs and the radar sensors, the TIPS system includes the computer and microcontroller computing the travel times, 220 MHz radios for transmitting data from the sensors to the computer and from the computer to the CMSs, and trailers with solar panels and batteries to power the radar sensors, CMSs, and radios. The evaluat...

The aim of this study was to identify opportunities to apply human factors principles and researc... more The aim of this study was to identify opportunities to apply human factors principles and research to improve Ohio's transportation system. The Office of Traffic Engineering assigned 13 topic areas to provide information and the study was limited to these topics even though there may have been other areas that are important from a human factors perspective. The topic areas included: rumble strips, changeable message signs (CMS), work zone delineation, half-size pavement markings, accident mitigation, older drivers, traffic signal operations, highway lighting, curve delineation, wet/dark delineation, raised pavement markings (RPM), information dissemination, and work zone safety. The aim was to identify opportunities to improve each of these areas by providing the human factors rationale and make recommendations to the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) that can be adopted to improve Ohio's transportation system. For each topic area an extensive literature survey, using...

As part of a larger study of best winter maintenance practices in Ohio, experiments on asphalt co... more As part of a larger study of best winter maintenance practices in Ohio, experiments on asphalt concrete (AC) and Portland cement concrete (PCC) pavements were conducted to determine the lifetime of brine residue from pretreatment. The AC pavement was on US Route 23 in Circleville and the PCC pavement on US Route 50 near Athens. On both pavements brine was applied at 20 gallons per lane mile (gplm) (47 liters per lane kilometer (lplkm)), 40 gplm (94 lplkm), and 80 gplm (188 lplkm) using a typical Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) brine truck that had been calibrated by the researchers. On US Route 23, a second application at 40 gplm (94 lplkm) at a slower speed was also studied. The amount of salt residue on the road was measured using Boschung SOBO-20 salt measuring devices with rehabilitated electronics. The decay of salt over time on both pavements was found to be consistent with an exponential decay.

… Record: Journal of the …, 2004

A group relamping model was developed and evaluated by using bulb-replacement records from the Oh... more A group relamping model was developed and evaluated by using bulb-replacement records from the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) District 4 as a test case for a limited sensitivity analysis. The relatively easy-to-use Excel spreadsheet computes the costs of ...

Transportation Research Record, 2003

Twenty older drivers, aged 63 to 81 (average 72.1), with corrected visual acuity ranging from 20/... more Twenty older drivers, aged 63 to 81 (average 72.1), with corrected visual acuity ranging from 20/20 to 20/29 (average 20/25), evaluated six sign material and lighting combinations under nighttime conditions on US Route 30 near Mansfield, Ohio. The tested material combinations, all unlighted unless noted otherwise, were (legend on background) beaded Type III on beaded Type III, lighted beaded Type III on beaded Type III, Type VIII on microprismatic Type III, Type IX on beaded Type III, Type IX on Type IX, and Type VII on beaded Type III. Evaluators sat in the passenger seat and middle center seat of a 2002 Dodge Caravan. Headlights were kept on low beam. The evaluation loop was driven twice, once approaching signs in the left lane, and once approaching in the right lane. The evaluators completed questionnaires regarding sign visibility, legibility, and appearance after driving under each sign group and also an exit interview on the same topics at the end of the evaluation. Based on q...

: Since 2002, coalition forces have focused on efforts to reconstruct and create new infrastructu... more : Since 2002, coalition forces have focused on efforts to reconstruct and create new infrastructure in Afghanistan to help stabilize the nation and improve trade and opportunities for a livelihood. The U.S. projects in Afghanistan used common American construction standards. Applying these standards to the projects appeared reasonable, but, in actual practice, these standards have been difficult to implement owing to limited access to technical information, lack of information about local terrain and environment, and limited understanding of local social customs. Afghanistan lacks skilled labor capable of performing quality work. In addition, there are few Afghan testing laboratories for conducting quality control. The quality of available construction materials is unreliable. Logistics are complicated because of the poor state of the transportation infrastructure, and there are no local systems necessary to sustain procurement efforts for major infrastructure projects. Even if a tr...

This report documents a laboratory study on the efficacy of the exfiltration trench, a Best Manag... more This report documents a laboratory study on the efficacy of the exfiltration trench, a Best Management Practice (BMP) utilized by the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT), to reduce pollutants in post construction stormwater runoff. Runoff flows through media layers of the trench, consisting of pervious concrete, aggregate and sand filter media. The ODOT specified media were first characterized and then pollutant removal tests were conducted. Also, an alternative pervious concrete mix (recommended by the Ohio Ready MixConcrete Association (ORMCA)) and filter media (greensand) were investigated. Porosity, hydraulic conductivity, strength and freeze/thaw characteristics of each pervious concrete mix were determined. No structural or durability issues were evident with either concrete mix. Removal of suspended material via the pervious concrete increased with larger size influent particles. For the ODOT pervious concrete mix, removal in terms of total suspended solids (TSS) of sand...

This object of this report was to help the Ohio Department of Transportation determine the best w... more This object of this report was to help the Ohio Department of Transportation determine the best way for serving the state's winter maintenance needs, focusing on how many and what kind of road weather information systems (RWIS) stations to deploy. The project involved a literature review, several field visits with winter maintenance personnel in Ohio, other states, and Switzerland. In addition, a survey was conducted of winter maintenance personnel nationwide, as well as a product review. The report also discusses lifetime cost estimates for RWIS, deployment and implementation plan considerations and Ohio RWIS deployment plan recommendations and conclusions. A bench test of pavement sensors is included in Part II as a separate document.

Bridge deck simulators (BDSs), 6 in. (15 cm) concrete cubes with an embedded temperature probe, a... more Bridge deck simulators (BDSs), 6 in. (15 cm) concrete cubes with an embedded temperature probe, are intended as a cost-effective substitute for RWIS pavement sensors to represent conditions likely on bridge decks in an area near an RWIS station. In this study, the effectiveness of the BDSs to predict the temperature on nearby bridge decks was evaluated. Nine sites were selected by Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) across the state of Ohio (six in northeastern region and three in southwestern region) which were instrumented in BDSs and Nu Metrics pavement sensors on the bridge deck and (with one exception) on the road surface off the bridge. The use of BDSs appears to be unique to Ohio. A survey in the state of Ohio indicated little use was being made of BDS information. RWIS temperature data collected at five minute intervals during winter season 2004-2005 were analyzed and the unusable data were weeded out by removing redundant entries, blank or incomplete entries, extreme t...

Resilient modulus is a significant parameter in the design and rehabilitation of pavements. In th... more Resilient modulus is a significant parameter in the design and rehabilitation of pavements. In this study, resilient moduli of highway subgrade soil samples from seven sites in Ohio were determined in the laboratory, utilizing a low-pressure dynamic multi-axial cubical testing system. It was observed that resilient modulus is a function of moisture content, density, deviator stress level and soil type. For a cohesive soil at a given stress level, resilient modulus is very sensitive to fluctuations in moisture content. Also, the resilient modulus rapidly decreases with increasing deviator stress at low stress levels and generally levels off at higher stress levels. Also, three finite element programs, ILLI-PAVE, ILLI-SLAB and OU-PAVE were applied to back-calculate the resilient moduli in conjunction with the field data obtained with the Falling Weight Deflectometer and the Dynaflect. A comparison of the experimental results from non-destructive testing with back-calculation values in...

Low impact development techniques can be integrated into stormwater management of linear transpor... more Low impact development techniques can be integrated into stormwater management of linear transportation systems and afford opportunities to capitalize on the natural environment to mitigate stormwater. One of these techniques is the vegetated biofilter. A 4 ft (1.2 m) wide by 14 ft (4.3 m) long prototype vegetated biofilter was constructed on a moveable frame. Artificial runoff was delivered to the grass bed for four comprehensive tests at slopes and flow rates as follows: 8:1, medium; 4:1, medium; 2:1, medium; and 2:1, high. The medium and high flows represented storm runoff events typical in Ohio. Artificial runoff, formulated with metals and native soil, was applied to the bed at a “high” concentration for the first part of the event, followed by a “medium” concentration. During the simulation, samples were obtained from the inlet, surface runoff, and underdrain and analyzed for total and dissolved metals and TSS. Prior to and at the end of testing cores were extracted from the b...

This paper documents a laboratory study on the efficacy of the components of an exfiltration tren... more This paper documents a laboratory study on the efficacy of the components of an exfiltration trench, a Best Management Practice (BMP) utilized by the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT), to reduce pollutants in post construction stormwater runoff. Runoff flows through media layers of the trench, consisting of pervious concrete, aggregate and sand filter media. A laboratory scale model consisting of a specimen of one of two mixes of pervious concrete was used in a falling-head permeameter with the effluent subsequently filtered through a specimen of sand or manganese greensand filter media in a constant-head permeameter. The ODOT specified media were first characterized and then pollutant removal tests were conducted. Also, an alternative pervious concrete mix (recommended by the Ohio Ready MixConcrete Association (ORMCA)) and filter media (green sand) were investigated. The ODOT pervious concrete mix removed on average 39% of TSS from the artificial runoff, while the ORMCA mix ...

The vegetated biofilter is a low impact development technique that can be integrated into stormwa... more The vegetated biofilter is a low impact development technique that can be integrated into stormwater management of linear transportation systems and capitalize on the natural environment to mitigate stormwater. A 4 ft (1.2 m) wide by 14 ft (4.3 m) long prototype vegetated biofilter was constructed on a moveable frame. Artificial runoff was delivered to each of three grass beds for comprehensive tests at slopes and flow rates as follows: 8:1, medium; 4:1, medium; 2:1, medium; and 2:1, high. The medium and high flows represented storm runoff events typical in Ohio. First, baseline tests were performed to obtain concentrations of constituents native to the biofilter. Artificial runoff, formulated with metals, native soil, and motor oil, was applied to one bed at a “high” concentration for the first part of the event, followed by a “medium” concentration; a second bed received “medium” followed by “low” concentration runoff, and the third bed received “low” concentration followed by tap...

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the extended traffic signal light bulb longevity claims... more The purpose of this study was to evaluate the extended traffic signal light bulb longevity claims made by CLS for their CTCLS series load switches by testing in the field against conventional load switches in five different states (except Minnesota). In each state approximately 144 signalized intersections containing 512 load switches and 3456 bulbs were installed for the study, half using CTCLS load switches and half conventional load switches. The states involved were Ohio, Mississippi (the state and the city of Jackson), Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota (where no load switches or bulbs were installed), and Iowa (City of Waterloo). Four different major brands of bulbs were evaluated in the study (GE-Real, GE-Phillips, Sylvania, and Duro-test, with each brand assigned to a particular state (two states used Sylvania bulbs). Intersections used in the study were to be monitored and maintained for two years, and failed bulbs and load switches were tagged and returned to the study subcontractor, The Operator Performance Laboratory at the University of Iowa, for cataloging and analysis periodically during that time. The CLS claim that their CTCLS series load switches extended bulb life and reduced maintenance costs could not be investigated since ODOT decided to remove the CTCLS load switches due to safety and liability concerns after the several of the switches gave dual indications or other malfunctions. The study was then modified to study all the bulbs using only conventional load switches (3456 bulbs per state). In addition, the Duro-test company went bankrupt after the test started. Overall, the bulb life portion of the study produced little useful data. In all cases, the states and cities tagged and returned at most a fraction of the failed bulbs. It appears that the extra work caused by the study may have been asking too much of already busy maintenance personnel. Thus it seems that studies that rely on extra efforts by state personnel over a long period of time are at best difficult to carry out. The two bulb brands (GE-Real (Ohio) and Sylvania (Jackson MS)) for which reasonably complete data were made available from internal department records would be unsuitable for use in Ohio, both exceeding the ODOT 2% failure criterion for the first year. A group relamping spreadsheet was created and evaluated, using Ohio District 4 as a test case for a limited sensitivity analysis. A relatively easy to use Excel spreadsheet was devised to compute the costs of group relamping as a function of relamping interval. The model shows a shallow minimum region at about 10 months, providing a minimized annual cost of $38,719 to the district for maintaining their 273 signalized intersections. Results will vary somewhat in other districts or states, but the software can be applied to those cases as well. One of the two greatest difficulties involved with the model is the need to input the spot relamping distances from the maintenance facility to each signal and also the distances of travel to and within clusters of intersections each taking one day to relamp as a group. The other major difficulty is the need for bulb failure curve data. The intersections also need to be clustered before using the spreadsheet. The software will provide a table of overall traffic signal maintenance cost on an annual basis as a function of group relamping interval from 1 to 24 months, from which the optimum cost group relamping interval can be selected. The group relamping spreadsheet may be downloaded at http://webce.ent.ohiou.edu/orite/Group Relamping Model.html

Total number of words counting tables and figures as 250 words each: 7252 TRB 2003 Annual Meeting... more Total number of words counting tables and figures as 250 words each: 7252 TRB 2003 Annual Meeting CD-ROM Paper revised from original submittal. Nighttime Expert Panel Evaluation of Unlighted Overhead Guide Signs 1 A nighttime field evaluation of four different retroreflective overhead sign sheeting combinations (ASTM D 4956 types: beaded Type III legend on beaded Type III

Total number of words counting tables and figures as 250 words each: 7765 TRB 2003 Annual Meeting... more Total number of words counting tables and figures as 250 words each: 7765 TRB 2003 Annual Meeting CD-ROM Paper revised from original submittal. Zwahlen, et al., Photometric Evaluation of Unlighted Overhead Guide Signs 1 Overhead guide signs fabricated from four different retroreflective sheeting

Total number of words counting tables and figures as 250 words each: 7610 Helmut T. Zwahlen and A... more Total number of words counting tables and figures as 250 words each: 7610 Helmut T. Zwahlen and Andrew Russ 1 This is an investigation of the accuracy of the travel times displayed by a real-time travel time prediction system (TIPS) in a construction work zone. TIPS includes changeable message signs (CMSs) displaying the travel time and distance to the end of the work zone to motorists. The travel times displayed by these CMSs are computed by an intelligent traffic algorithm and travel-time estimation model of the TIPS software, which takes input from strategically placed microwave radar sensors that detect the vehicle traffic on each lane of the freeway. Besides the CMSs and the radar sensors, the TIPS system includes the computer and microcontroller computing the travel times, 220 MHz radios for transmitting data from the sensors to the computer and from the computer to the CMSs, and trailers with solar panels and batteries to power the radar sensors, CMSs, and radios. The evaluat...

The aim of this study was to identify opportunities to apply human factors principles and researc... more The aim of this study was to identify opportunities to apply human factors principles and research to improve Ohio's transportation system. The Office of Traffic Engineering assigned 13 topic areas to provide information and the study was limited to these topics even though there may have been other areas that are important from a human factors perspective. The topic areas included: rumble strips, changeable message signs (CMS), work zone delineation, half-size pavement markings, accident mitigation, older drivers, traffic signal operations, highway lighting, curve delineation, wet/dark delineation, raised pavement markings (RPM), information dissemination, and work zone safety. The aim was to identify opportunities to improve each of these areas by providing the human factors rationale and make recommendations to the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) that can be adopted to improve Ohio's transportation system. For each topic area an extensive literature survey, using...

As part of a larger study of best winter maintenance practices in Ohio, experiments on asphalt co... more As part of a larger study of best winter maintenance practices in Ohio, experiments on asphalt concrete (AC) and Portland cement concrete (PCC) pavements were conducted to determine the lifetime of brine residue from pretreatment. The AC pavement was on US Route 23 in Circleville and the PCC pavement on US Route 50 near Athens. On both pavements brine was applied at 20 gallons per lane mile (gplm) (47 liters per lane kilometer (lplkm)), 40 gplm (94 lplkm), and 80 gplm (188 lplkm) using a typical Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) brine truck that had been calibrated by the researchers. On US Route 23, a second application at 40 gplm (94 lplkm) at a slower speed was also studied. The amount of salt residue on the road was measured using Boschung SOBO-20 salt measuring devices with rehabilitated electronics. The decay of salt over time on both pavements was found to be consistent with an exponential decay.

… Record: Journal of the …, 2004

A group relamping model was developed and evaluated by using bulb-replacement records from the Oh... more A group relamping model was developed and evaluated by using bulb-replacement records from the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) District 4 as a test case for a limited sensitivity analysis. The relatively easy-to-use Excel spreadsheet computes the costs of ...

Transportation Research Record, 2003

Twenty older drivers, aged 63 to 81 (average 72.1), with corrected visual acuity ranging from 20/... more Twenty older drivers, aged 63 to 81 (average 72.1), with corrected visual acuity ranging from 20/20 to 20/29 (average 20/25), evaluated six sign material and lighting combinations under nighttime conditions on US Route 30 near Mansfield, Ohio. The tested material combinations, all unlighted unless noted otherwise, were (legend on background) beaded Type III on beaded Type III, lighted beaded Type III on beaded Type III, Type VIII on microprismatic Type III, Type IX on beaded Type III, Type IX on Type IX, and Type VII on beaded Type III. Evaluators sat in the passenger seat and middle center seat of a 2002 Dodge Caravan. Headlights were kept on low beam. The evaluation loop was driven twice, once approaching signs in the left lane, and once approaching in the right lane. The evaluators completed questionnaires regarding sign visibility, legibility, and appearance after driving under each sign group and also an exit interview on the same topics at the end of the evaluation. Based on q...

: Since 2002, coalition forces have focused on efforts to reconstruct and create new infrastructu... more : Since 2002, coalition forces have focused on efforts to reconstruct and create new infrastructure in Afghanistan to help stabilize the nation and improve trade and opportunities for a livelihood. The U.S. projects in Afghanistan used common American construction standards. Applying these standards to the projects appeared reasonable, but, in actual practice, these standards have been difficult to implement owing to limited access to technical information, lack of information about local terrain and environment, and limited understanding of local social customs. Afghanistan lacks skilled labor capable of performing quality work. In addition, there are few Afghan testing laboratories for conducting quality control. The quality of available construction materials is unreliable. Logistics are complicated because of the poor state of the transportation infrastructure, and there are no local systems necessary to sustain procurement efforts for major infrastructure projects. Even if a tr...

This report documents a laboratory study on the efficacy of the exfiltration trench, a Best Manag... more This report documents a laboratory study on the efficacy of the exfiltration trench, a Best Management Practice (BMP) utilized by the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT), to reduce pollutants in post construction stormwater runoff. Runoff flows through media layers of the trench, consisting of pervious concrete, aggregate and sand filter media. The ODOT specified media were first characterized and then pollutant removal tests were conducted. Also, an alternative pervious concrete mix (recommended by the Ohio Ready MixConcrete Association (ORMCA)) and filter media (greensand) were investigated. Porosity, hydraulic conductivity, strength and freeze/thaw characteristics of each pervious concrete mix were determined. No structural or durability issues were evident with either concrete mix. Removal of suspended material via the pervious concrete increased with larger size influent particles. For the ODOT pervious concrete mix, removal in terms of total suspended solids (TSS) of sand...

This object of this report was to help the Ohio Department of Transportation determine the best w... more This object of this report was to help the Ohio Department of Transportation determine the best way for serving the state's winter maintenance needs, focusing on how many and what kind of road weather information systems (RWIS) stations to deploy. The project involved a literature review, several field visits with winter maintenance personnel in Ohio, other states, and Switzerland. In addition, a survey was conducted of winter maintenance personnel nationwide, as well as a product review. The report also discusses lifetime cost estimates for RWIS, deployment and implementation plan considerations and Ohio RWIS deployment plan recommendations and conclusions. A bench test of pavement sensors is included in Part II as a separate document.

Bridge deck simulators (BDSs), 6 in. (15 cm) concrete cubes with an embedded temperature probe, a... more Bridge deck simulators (BDSs), 6 in. (15 cm) concrete cubes with an embedded temperature probe, are intended as a cost-effective substitute for RWIS pavement sensors to represent conditions likely on bridge decks in an area near an RWIS station. In this study, the effectiveness of the BDSs to predict the temperature on nearby bridge decks was evaluated. Nine sites were selected by Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) across the state of Ohio (six in northeastern region and three in southwestern region) which were instrumented in BDSs and Nu Metrics pavement sensors on the bridge deck and (with one exception) on the road surface off the bridge. The use of BDSs appears to be unique to Ohio. A survey in the state of Ohio indicated little use was being made of BDS information. RWIS temperature data collected at five minute intervals during winter season 2004-2005 were analyzed and the unusable data were weeded out by removing redundant entries, blank or incomplete entries, extreme t...

Resilient modulus is a significant parameter in the design and rehabilitation of pavements. In th... more Resilient modulus is a significant parameter in the design and rehabilitation of pavements. In this study, resilient moduli of highway subgrade soil samples from seven sites in Ohio were determined in the laboratory, utilizing a low-pressure dynamic multi-axial cubical testing system. It was observed that resilient modulus is a function of moisture content, density, deviator stress level and soil type. For a cohesive soil at a given stress level, resilient modulus is very sensitive to fluctuations in moisture content. Also, the resilient modulus rapidly decreases with increasing deviator stress at low stress levels and generally levels off at higher stress levels. Also, three finite element programs, ILLI-PAVE, ILLI-SLAB and OU-PAVE were applied to back-calculate the resilient moduli in conjunction with the field data obtained with the Falling Weight Deflectometer and the Dynaflect. A comparison of the experimental results from non-destructive testing with back-calculation values in...