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Research Project Review Sessions

Attachments
  
  
  
  
  
  
Project Summary
  
  
11/7/2014ODOT Central Office, Room 1CTeresa CutrightUniversity of Akron

​At the moment, it is not known if high-sulfate soils are confined to areas along the Lake Erie shoreline in Northeast Ohio or if they are present in other areas of the state. Hence, it is important to determine if other areas in Ohio have high-sulfate soils and understand why these areas have elevated levels of sulfate. Identifying the locations where high sulfate levels might be encountered and knowing the factors that might affect soil sulfate origin and formation would enable ODOT to quickly assess the presence of high sulfate levels in soil and would ensure that soil stabilization plans will be appropriate for roadway construction. The outcome of this study may lead to 1) improving safety by reducing pavement damage and providing a drivable pavement surface, and 2) reducing long-term costs by improving soil stabilization and reducing the need for repairs to pavement caused by soil heave.

The primary objective of this research project is to study the origin and formation of sulfate in Ohio soils in order to assist ODOT in selecting appropriate soil stabilization strategies for roadway construction. The specific objectives of this study include: 1) Identifying the locations in Ohio where ODOT might encounter sulfate-bearing soils, and 2) Determining why there are significant amounts of sulfate in soil at these locations.

November 7, 2014           1:00-2:00 PM
  
11/13/2014Via Webinar OnlyMelisa FinleyTexas A&M Transportation Institute

​When a lane is closed on a two-lane, two-way roadway flaggers are typically used to control the flow of traffic through the work zone. While agencies have implemented various measures to improve the safety and effectiveness of flaggers, crashes and near misses still occur. Other methods such as automated flagger assistance devices (AFADs) and portable traffic signals (also known as temporary traffic control signals) can be utilized to control traffic during temporary one-way operations. However, the use of such devices may or may not be applicable dependent upon the work zone operation and characteristics.

The goal of this research is to find cost effective and safer alternatives to the current procedures and methods used by ODOT for rural one-lane, two-way temporary traffic control in maintenance operations zones, without significantly increasing motorist delay. This research will either validate current ODOT practices or result in recommendations for improvements to ODOT's existing process to ensure the safe and efficient flow of traffic in work zones on two-lane rural highways. This will be achieved by determining the efficiency of ODOT's current practices, and identifying safer alternatives that are also cost effective.​

November 13, 2014           9:00-10:00 AM
  
11/14/2014ODOT Central Office, Room 1CLiangbo HuUniversity of Toledo

A majority of ODOT's 4-lane and interstate highways are composite pavement; with the vast majority being Portland cement concrete (PCC) pavement overlaid with asphalt concrete (AC). Each year, ODOT rehabilitates several hundred miles of existing AC/PCC pavements by additional overlay. It is important to have an effective means to evaluate the existing AC/PCC pavements and to design the overlay thickness required to carry anticipated future traffic loading. The pavement overlay thickness design procedure currently exercised by ODOT works well for both flexible and rigid pavements, but it tends to produce overly conservative designs for composite pavements. For composite pavements with relatively thick asphalt overlays, the current design procedure consistently recommends very high overlay thickness that is deemed structurally unnecessary. Research is needed to evaluate and verify the assumptions used for composite pavements in the current overlay design procedure and provide modifications as needed or to develop a new deflection based overlay design procedure for composite pavements. 

The proposed study investigates the possible cause(s) and finds solution(s) to address the problem within the composite overlay design procedure and to verify and validate the revised procedure through actual pavements.

- The primary goal is to develop and validate a Falling Weight Deflectometer (FWD) deflection-based overlay design procedure for composite pavements and incorporate it into the most current version of ODOT's overall design software.

- Provide ODOT with the ability to mechanistically determine the effective thickness of the PCC slab portion of a composite pavement for use in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' equation for the design of unbonded concrete overlays. 

November 14, 2014               1:00-2:00 PM
  
11/19/2014Via Webinar OnlyAla AbbasUniversity of Akron

​Pavement markings play a vital role in providing guidance to motorists during the day and at night under both normal and adverse weather conditions. A wide range of pavement marking materials are available, including alkyd (or solvent-based) and waterborne (or water-based) traffic paints, polyester, thermoplastic, epoxy, preformed tape, polyurea, methacrylate, and modified urethane. These materials vary in cost, effectiveness in providing a contrast in color from that of the underlying surface, visibility under adverse weather conditions such as rain and fog, adherence to different pavement surfaces, and durability under different traffic and environmental conditions. As a result, each of the previous factors must be considered in determining the optimum marking material. 

The proposed study will evaluate the performance of three pavement marking materials (fast-dry traffic paint, polyester, and epoxy) in order to determine which materials are most suitable for the environmental and traffic conditions in ODOT District 11. The evaluation will include laboratory test procedures to examine the quality of the pavement markings and glass beads used in this study, and estimate the initial retroreflectivity of these materials. Results from the laboratory tests will be utilized to select a number of products to be evaluated in the field. The field evaluation will include two-lane and four-lane highways having a variety of pavement types, pavement condition, geometries, and traffic volumes. The field performance results will be analyzed to determine the service life of the various marking materials. In addition, these results will be used to estimate the life cycle cost of these materials and develop a material selection matrix for District 11. This new matrix will provide a repeatable methodology to assist the district¿s decision makers in selecting the most cost-effective pavement marking materials conforming to ODOT specifications that will meet budgetary limitations in District 11 from year to year.​

November 19, 2014             9:00-10:00 AM
  
11/21/2014ODOT Central Office, Room 3ABill YuCase Western Reserve University

​ODOT labor crews have experienced safety hazards such as roll overs during compaction of the berm using the current methodology. It is to the interest of ODOT and the traveling public to identify an effective, safe and cost effective method to perform berm placement.  The study will evaluate the performance of alternative berm compaction technology on safety edge projects to improve the construction safety as well as effectiveness for berm compaction. The focus will be on a few innovative technologies that provide effective and safe berm compaction.  Based on this study, the effectiveness of alternative methods for berm/shoulder compaction will be determined. 

The results of this project will be summarized in the format compatible with ODOT specifications. Successful implementation of the project results will improve the longevity of berms and reduce the life cycle costs for pavement shoulder maintenance including time, material and labor.  Recommendations will be provided to ODOT for incorporation of the research discoveries into ODOT specifications. This project could be of interest to other state DOTs and have far reaching national significance. ​

November 21, 2014        1:00-2:00 PM
  
11/24/2014Via Webinar OnlyNorbert DelatteCleveland State University

The Ohio Department of Transportation has identified the need to specify durable, more permanent high performing pavement and bridge deck patching materials that allow for expediting pavement and bridge deck wearing surface repair for worker and user safety. Currently, either temporary or generally specified in-kind or like materials are being used to perform pavement patching. Usually, the Department provides generically specified cementitious or cold asphalt materials for patching wearing surfaces with varied performance characteristics. Current products used for this purpose are generally those that have been used for many decades for which competition exists. However, new or proprietary products are difficult to specify unless incorporated into a construction project for research purposes, an approved equal is permitted, or procurement of the product complies with the Department's direct purchasing requirements. Consequently, this creates a situation in which the desired product is precluded from use.​

November 24, 2014        1:00-2:00 PM
  
11/25/2014ODOT Central Office, Room 1CKen WalshOhio University

As of 2007 ODOT stored approximately 400,000 tons of deicing salt at 222 locations statewide, typical annual tons of salt range from 300,000 to 550,000. ODOT uses various structures to store salt; barns, coverall buildings, salt domes, etc. Proper salt storage is a best management practice that protects the invested money in the product, as well as equipment, infrastructure, personnel and the environment. The EPA has stated that salt storage presents a potentially greater environmental threat than the application of salts on roadways. Improper salt storage has been found to contaminate public and private groundwater supplies. Once affected, treatment of water sources can be difficult and expensive. ODOT does not presently have rules governing the storage of salt, but does prohibit unauthorized discharge of pollutants into waterways, including runoff from salt storage.

Due to inadequate openings (doorway size and geometry) at salt dome facilities, ODOT has identified two main issues, 1) an inability to store the maximum amount of salt that the salt dome allows and 2) precipitation from the outside affecting the contents of the building. This study will benefit ODOT by identifying tangible solutions that once implemented can increase the efficiency and safety at salt dome facilities, ultimately saving ODOT time and money.

The overall goal of this project is to identify practices and onsite modifications that can improve salt loading and storage at ODOT salt domes. This goal will be accomplished through the listed objectives.​​

November 25, 2014         1:00-2:00 PM