No Boundaries at TRB

The No Boundaries pooled fund was seen and heard at the Transportation Research Board annual meeting earlier this month in our nation's capital. Members of the pooled fund management team in attendance took advantage of the opportunity to present to a number of relevant TRB committees:

• Maintenance and Operations Personnel (AHD15)
• Maintenance Equipment (AHD60)
• Roadside Maintenance Operations (AHD50)
• Signing and Marking Materials (AHD55)
• Winter Maintenance (AHD65)

No Boundaries also presented to a meeting of the Maintenance and Preservation Section committee chairs who oversee these and other maintenance committees.

At each of these meetings, a No Boundaries representative gave a brief overview of the pooled fund's goals and recent and upcoming activities. Productive discussions with meeting participants centered on possible partnership opportunities in the year ahead.

No Boundaries would like to extend our thanks to TRB Senior Program Officer James Bryant for helping coordinate this important outreach to these committees.

Welcome Mississippi and Maine

With the recent addition of Mississippi DOT and Maine DOT as new members, No Boundaries membership now stands at 17 state transportation agencies, representing upwards of a third of all the states.

Mississippi and Maine join No Boundaries members Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, South Carolina, Virginia, Washington State, and Wisconsin.

As a reminder, as No Boundaries moves forward with activities in 2018, including our next meeting in April in Seattle, the program remains open to new members.

No Boundaries is Transportation Pooled Fund project #TPF-5(330). State DOT commitments to the project can be made using 100% federal funds. Contact Brian Hirt, CTC & Associates, at 402-770-9067 for more information.

Meetings and Events

Training Opportunities

National Highway Institute: Pavement Preservation Concepts

This 2018 web-based training course, developed by the National Concrete Pavement Technology Center at Iowa State University in cooperation with the Federal Highway Administration, discusses how preventive maintenance impacts pavement preservation. Topics include good candidates for pavement preservation and the benefits of preservation. This module is part of NHI's Concrete Pavement Preservation Series. Details.

Upcoming TRB Webinars

• Roller-Compacted Concrete Pavements State-of-the-Practice
  This webinar, to be held on February 14, will provide an overview of the state-of-the-practice for roller-compacted concrete (RCC) pavements. It will focus on the uses for RCC, as well as materials, mixtures, construction, and design approaches for RCC pavements. Details.
   
• Data Management and Governance Practices at Transportation Agencies
  This webinar, to be held on February 26, will discuss transportation agency data management practices and experiences. Presenters will demonstrate how agencies currently access, manage, use and share data and explain how this information can be used to advance the current state of the practice. Details.

Recordings of Past TRB Webinars Available

Missed a recent TRB webinar? Recordings of most webinars are available by request from TRB (some organizations may pay a fee), and presentation slides are often posted online after the webinar concludes. Find maintenance-related webinars on TRB's website, and contact TRB's Reggie Gillum to request a recording.

Asset Management Research

Minnesota Local Agency Pavement Marking: Mining Existing Data
Minnesota DOT

Researchers developed pavement marking performance metrics for Minnesota local agencies to use as a guide for choosing the most durable and cost-effective products. Analysis of existing MnDOT data mined from the AASHTO National Transportation Product Evaluation Program informed metrics for retroreflectivity and service life. Report.

Maintenance Rating Program Handbook, 2017 Edition
Florida DOT

This handbook defines a method of conducting visual and mechanical evaluation of routine highway maintenance conditions. Intended for use by staff responsible for conducting the Maintenance Rating Program Survey, this handbook serves as a guide for gathering data needed to schedule and prioritize routine maintenance activities. Handbook.

Analysis of Performance-Based Pavement Markings and Markers Contracts: Case Study from San Antonio
Texas DOT

This case study assessed the cost-effectiveness of the first performance-based contract for pavement markings and markers let by Texas DOT's San Antonio District. Results showed that the contract did not provide the expected benefits of performance-based contracting (reduced costs, overall improvement in the condition of the managed network). Abstract.

Development of the Digital Design Environment ProjectWise^TM - Phase 1
Connecticut DOT

Researchers developed a project document management system for Connecticut DOT's Capital Road and Bridge Program. The cloud-based system, ProjectWise (PW) Online, is integrated with the agency's authoritative project and asset tracking data to automate storage and security management. Report.

Bridge Repair and Rehabilitation Research

Ultra-High Performance Fiber-Reinforced Concrete (UHPFRC) for Infrastructure Rehabilitation, Volume II: Behavior of Ultra-High Strength Concrete Bridge Deck Panels Compared to Conventional Stay-in-Place Deck Panels
Missouri University of Science and Technology

Applications of ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC) in bridge construction are known to increase bridge durability and, consequently, decrease life-cycle maintenance costs. This study investigated the performance of ultra-high-strength concrete (UHSC, similar to UHPC) stay-in-place bridge deck panels subjected to high loads in both flexure and shear. Results of lab tests indicated that the panels performed better than conventional concrete panels. Report.

Self-Consolidating Concrete for Prestressed Bridge Girders
Wisconsin DOT

This project aimed to develop uniform recommendations on self-consolidating concrete (SCC) mixture design for use on Wisconsin DOT bridge projects. Key findings indicated that full-scale SCC and conventional concrete (CC) girders exhibited almost identical long-term camber and prestress losses, but transfer length of the SCC girder was somewhat less than for the CC girder. Report.

Culvert Maintenance Research

Enhanced Culvert Inspections Best Practices Guidebook
Minnesota DOT

This guidance document is a primer on common culvert inspection technologies and applications. The manual summarizes the advantages and limitations of each technology and provides best practices for planning and implementing an enhanced inspection project. Guidebook.

Evaluating the Effects of Culvert Designs on Ecosystem Processes in Northern Wisconsin Streams
River Research and Applications, January 2017

Culvert replacements are commonly undertaken to restore aquatic organism passage and stream hydrologic and geomorphic conditions, but their effects on ecosystem processes are rarely quantified. This study investigated the effects of two culvert replacement designs on stream ecosystem processes, such as coarse particulate organic matter retention, transient storage, and nutrient uptake. Abstract.

Maintenance Worker Safety Research

Addressing Work Zone Traffic Safety Issues in Arizona
Arizona DOT

Improving work zone traffic control design and management can help reduce crashes. Researchers analyzed data in Arizona DOT's Accident Location Identification Surveillance System database to identify factors associated with work zone crashes. The results were used to develop recommendations on how to improve work zone traffic control design, policies and procedures to decrease crashes. Report.

Work Zone Sign Design for Increased Driver Compliance and Worker Safety
Accident Analysis and Prevention, September 2017

This study aimed to develop design standards for dynamic message signs to improve driver compliance and worker safety. Results showed that sign content and placement had no impact on speed reduction and compliance. However, messages mentioning worker presence did increase driver attention. Report.

Pavement Repair and Rehabilitation Research

Concrete Repair Best Practices: A Series of Case Studies
Missouri DOT

Based on information from contractors and agency practitioners, researchers developed best practice case studies for six concrete pavement restoration techniques: cross-stitching, dowel bar retrofit, diamond grinding, full-depth repair, partial-depth repair and slab stabilization. Report.

Research and Application of a Black Rapid Repair Concrete for Municipal Pavement Rehabilitation Around Manholes
Construction and Building Materials, September 2017

Researchers in China developed a new black rapid repair fiber concrete (BRRFC) for asphalt concrete pavement rehabilitation around manholes without requiring a long period of traffic interruption. Other benefits of BRRFC include its durability, cost-effectiveness, stable black color, and ease of application. Abstract.

Results from Visual Inspection and Laboratory Testing for ASR in Existing Concrete Cores from Bridges and Pavements in California
California Department of Transportation

This project evaluated the presence of alkali-silica reaction (ASR) in cores taken from California bridges and pavements. Researchers performed strength testing on pavement and bridge sample cores using the Damage Rating Index method. None of the cores showed the likelihood of an ASR issue. Report.

Assessment of Continuous Deflection Measurement Devices in Louisiana - Rolling Wheel Deflectometer
Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development

Researchers assessed the cost-efficiency of rolling wheel deflectometer (RWD) testing in identifying and repairing structurally deficient sections before they reach very poor conditions. Results showed that RWD can provide significant savings if implemented in testing medium to high traffic volume roads with an Annual Average Daily Traffic of 5,000 or more. Report.

Roadside and Vegetation Maintenance Research

Roadside Vegetation Management Research, 2017 Annual Report
Pennsylvania DOT

The Penn State Roadside Vegetation Management Project serves as an unbiased information source for the evaluation of emerging vegetation management technologies. Its comprehensive annual report compiles analyses of vegetation management projects conducted for PennDOT. Annual report and project website.

Economic Analysis of Vegetation Management Practices
North Carolina DOT

Researchers explored ways to reduce costs associated with vegetation management by conducting a thorough evaluation of management operations and governing organizational structures. Results indicated the cost-effectiveness of replacing one mowing cycle with one plant growth regulator application cycle. Report.

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