No Boundaries Pooled Fund Focuses on Maintenance Technology Transfer

Phase II of the No Boundaries pooled fund kicked off last fall, with the aim of becoming a national community of practice for maintenance professionals. The group focuses on identifying innovative technologies and practices used by state DOTs and then promoting their use by others through marketing materials, training classes, webinars and other technology transfer efforts.

Representatives from the nine member agencies held their first face-to-face meeting in St. Louis in December. The participants presented their current maintenance initiatives and challenges, discussed priority topic areas for the pooled fund in 2016, and attended a Missouri DOT demonstration of truck-mounted attenuator vehicles (or TMAs) outfitted with panic lights and sound equipment for improving safety.

Now is a great time to join No Boundaries. Pooled fund members:

• Attend Technical Advisory Committee meetings, peer exchanges, product demonstrations, and other technology transfer events sponsored by No Boundaries with expenses paid by the pooled fund.
• Help prioritize maintenance issues and direct technology transfer efforts to be funded by No Boundaries.
• Meet and collaborate with other roadway maintenance professionals and invited experts from around the country.
• Submit their state’s maintenance innovations for national sharing and recognition.

State DOT commitments to Transportation Pooled Fund project #TPF-5(330) can be made using 100% federal funds. Contact Kim Linsenmayer, CTC & Associates, at 608-628-3806 for more information.

Spotlight on Innovation: Missouri TMA-Mounted Panic Lights and Sound

Thanks to the initiative and creativity of Missouri DOT’s maintenance employees, the drivers of truck-mounted attenuator vehicles and the traveling public are safer on Missouri roadways. MoDOT developed and successfully piloted the use of mounted white LED panic lights on TMAs in the field and then incorporated warning sound features to draw even more attention to the slow-moving vehicles. Both the lights and sounds can be activated by a TMA driver when an approaching vehicle does not steer clear far in advance of reaching the maintenance truck. The additions have reduced collisions and improved safety, prompting MoDOT to expand use of the new features. For more details and to view video demonstrations and presentations on the equipment in action, see the project page and the No Boundaries YouTube channel.

Asset Management: Resources and State Practices

The No Boundaries Technical Advisory Council selected asset management as the primary focus area for the pooled fund in 2016. The members have begun compiling recent resources, national survey results and examples of innovative state practices for sharing with others on the No Boundaries website. In the coming months, the TAC will be identifying additional innovative practices and common high-priority issues within asset management (such as data collection and management), which will drive their technology transfer activities. Asset Management Resources.

2016 TRB Annual Meeting Papers on Maintenance Topics

To help maintenance professionals keep up with the constantly evolving research field, No Boundaries compiled a listing of maintenance-related papers from the 2016 Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting. The document includes titles, authors, paper numbers, abstracts and links to the full-text documents.

Meetings and Events

World of Asphalt

The World of Asphalt show and conference will be held March 22-24 in Nashville. World of Asphalt offers learning opportunities and exhibits aimed at asphalt, highway, pavement maintenance, and traffic safety industry professionals. The educational sessions include program tracks focused on pavement preservation and environmental health and safety. The show is owned by the National Asphalt Pavement Association, the Association of Equipment Manufacturers, and the National Stone, Sand, and Gravel Association, and held in conjunction with the Aggregates Academy and Expo.

Ohio Asphalt Expo

The Ohio Asphalt Expo, sponsored by Flexible Pavements of Ohio, will be held March 30-31 in Columbus. The Expo will feature multiple concurrent educational sessions and an indoor and outdoor trade show and exhibition. It is intended for professionals who construct, inspect, manage or maintain local or private transportation infrastructure.

11th National Transportation Asset Management Conference

The Transportation Research Board will hold its 11th National Transportation Asset Management Conference in Minneapolis July 9-12. Themes will include implementation within and across organizations, establishing and monitoring asset management plans, performance measures, decision-making tools, and adaptation to extreme weather events and climate change.

PWX Public Works Expo

The American Public Works Association will rebrand its International Public Works Congress and Exposition as PWX at its next meeting in Minneapolis August 28-31. APWA says the Expo will include more technology, cater to a variety of learning styles, and encourage cross-generational dialogue to engage all generations in the public works profession. The meeting will include more than 125 technical and professional development sessions, a 90,000-square-foot exhibit floor, additional interviews with session speakers, and a variety of networking opportunities.

Training Opportunities

Current Practices in Conducting Field Inspections for Maintenance Quality Assurance

The Transportation Research Board conducted a webinar on March 1 reviewing NCHRP Synthesis 470: Maintenance Quality Assurance Field Inspection Practices; a recording will be online soon. The synthesis summarized current practices used by state transportation agencies to support maintenance investments, including practices in conducting field inspections for maintenance quality assurance.

How Do You Get To Step "A" of Asset Management

The American Public Works Association hosted a webinar on February 25 on developing a formal asset management program. The goal of the webinar was to help participants articulate a general understanding of the basics of public infrastructure asset management, explain the value of an asset management system relative to municipal investments, and describe “next steps” for creating and implementing a formal asset management program. A recording of the webinar will be made available shortly.

Pavement Repair and Rehabilitation Research

Development of Cost Effective Treatment Performance and Treatment Selection Models
Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development Report 13/518

Louisiana DOTD has spent significant financial resources on various rehabilitation and maintenance treatments to minimize pavement distress and improve pavement life, including chipseal, crack seal, micro-surfacing, thin and thick overlays, and structural overlays. This report details the first two phases of a three-phase research study, which evaluated the performance and cost-effectiveness of these treatments. Report.

Development of Improved Overlay Thickness Design Alternatives for Local Roads
Illinois Center for Transportation Report 15-008

Researchers calculated the required overlay thicknesses needed for 20 pavement sections in Illinois using three methods currently used by local agencies—the AASHTO 1993 nondestructive testing method, the Illinois DOT modified layer coefficients method, and the Asphalt Institute deflection approach. They also developed a new mechanistic-empirical overlay design method to address inadequacies of these methods. The mechanistic-empirical method successfully identified structural deficiencies in the original pavement configurations and developed reliable, cost-effective overlay solutions. Report.

MoDOT Pavement Preservation Research Program
Missouri DOT Report 16-004

Missouri DOT has embarked upon a plan of formalizing its maintenance and preservation planning. This project developed a process that would allow MoDOT to do more selective planning, better engineering and more effective maintenance, with the ultimate goal of minimizing costs while maintaining adequate safety and performance. The report includes six detailed technical reports on data collection, performance model development, pavement evaluation tools, pavement condition assessment, pavement treatment trigger tables and re-calibration of triggers and performance models. Report.

Bridge Repair and Rehabilitation Research

Synthesis on the Use of Accelerated Bridge Construction Approaches for Bridge Rehabilitation
InTrans Project 05-52

This project conducted a literature review to synthesize information about rehabilitation alternatives that could be used to complete rapid bridge rehabilitation projects. These alternatives include adaptations of accelerated bridge construction methods for new bridges and methods strictly for rehabilitation activities. Report.

Next Generation Bridge Management Tools and Inspection
Minnesota DOT Report 2015-47

This project had two objectives. First, it sought to identify needs for the inspection methodology, manuals, training, and timetable needed for bridge owners to start collecting element-level bridge inspection data. Second, it attempted to identify how to incorporate element-level bridge inspection methodology into MnDOT’s existing reporting tools and performance measures that determine bridge projects in its annual program. Report.

Integrated 3D Bridge-Condition Visualization (BCV) to Facilitate Element-Based Bridge Condition Rating
Nebraska DOR Report M004

Existing bridge management systems are efficient at data storage, but they typically lack a data integration mechanism, which makes comprehensive data analysis and management difficult. Building information modeling can be applied in the bridge asset management area to help integrate the data pieces. This project developed a 3D bridge inspection data management system to integrate 3D visualization with bridge inspection and maintenance records for visualized data analysis and active data management. Report.

Quantifying the Impact of Bridge Maintenance Activities on Deterioration: A Survey of Practice and Related Resources
Minnesota DOT Transportation Research Synthesis 1509

This project conducted a literature search and a survey of domestic and international transportation agencies to learn about the type and frequency of bridge maintenance activities, practices for quantifying the impact of bridge maintenance activities on deterioration, and the use of deterioration models to examine the benefits of bridge maintenance. Few responding state departments of transportation offered information about quantifying the benefits of bridge maintenance treatments, although those who had offered anecdotal evidence of the benefits of bridge maintenance. Report.

Field Testing of Hand-Held Infrared Thermography, Phase II
Missouri DOT Report 16-007

Infrared thermography is a nondestructive evaluation technology to assess the condition of concrete bridge components. This project quantified the capability and reliability of thermal imaging technology in the field, tested and validated inspection guidelines, and identify and overcome barriers to implementation. Field testing demonstrated that the infrared thermography is reliable for detecting subsurface damage in concrete, within the constraints of the technology’s guidelines that it detects delaminations 3 inches deep or less. Report.

Evaluation of Pile Repair Splice Design
Oregon DOT Report 17384

This study characterized flexural and compressional properties of a proposed repair method for decayed timber piles, involving removing the decayed area apart from an outer shell, filling it with rapid strength concrete, and placing a steel splice post. It conducted two tests on pile splices and found that the design performed well during testing, achieving better compressive strength than the nominal capacity of wood and adequate flexure bearing. Limited sample size means that additional testing is required to achieve statistical significance, but the results suggest the design can be used. Report.

Development of Cost-Effective Timber Bridge Repair Techniques for Minnesota
Minnesota DOT Report 2015-45

This project developed formal guidance for county engineers in Minnesota for repairing timber bridge components. In addition to discussing repair and routine maintenance operations, the report discusses costs and benefits and the point in time when repair or reconstruction makes the most economic sense. It also adapted the information into a standalone manual of timber bridge repair and maintenance options. Report.

Culvert Repair Research

Large Corrugated Metal Pipe Repair Techniques: A Survey of Practice and Related Resources
Minnesota DOT Transportation Research Synthesis 1510

This project comprised a survey of transportation agencies and a literature search to identify practices for repairing large-diameter (10 feet or greater) corrugated metal pipe culverts. The most commonly used repair technique is sliplining, although other rehabilitation practices in use include cured-in-place pipe, concrete blanket, flowable fill and foam sealant, concrete paved inverts and spray-on liners. Report.

State of the Practice for Managing, Maintaining, and Operating Culverts: A Review of Deterioration Curves and Tools
Minnesota DOT Transportation Research Synthesis 1508

MnDOT generally relies on predictions of durability of the pipe materials used to construct culverts to estimate the culvert’s service life. Varying environmental conditions and other factors reduce the accuracy of this method, however. This project used a literature review and interviews with seven departments of transportation to investigate factors that affect the service lives of culverts under 10 feet in diameter and how those factors can be incorporated into models of culvert deterioration. The project also evaluated the effect of maintenance on culvert service life. Report.

Asset Management Research

Iowa Pavement Asset Management Decision-Making Framework
Iowa Highway Research Board Project TR-651

Most local agencies in Iowa make decisions about pavement treatment based on limited experience, due to the lack of objective condition assessment data and the lack of a systematic decision-making framework and decision-aid tool. This project developed a systematic pavement treatment selection framework to help local agencies select the most appropriate pavement treatment and justify their maintenance and rehabilitation decisions. The framework involves three steps: assessing pavement condition, selecting technically feasible treatments using decision trees, and selecting the appropriate treatment considering return on investment and non-economic factors. Report.

Evidence-Based Decision Making: Developing a Knowledge Base for Successful Program Outcomes in Transportation Asset Management
Georgia DOT Report 12-18

MAP-21 and AASHTO’s framework for transportation asset management offer opportunities to rigorously collect and apply evidence within a transportation asset management context. This study links investments in transportation asset management to outcomes through a review of evidence-based approaches from a variety of fields, an “evidence exchange” among transportation practitioners, and several case studies. It developed a prototype transportation asset management evidence database and a resource for knowledge sharing that can help transportation agencies meet performance-based planning requirements of MAP-21. Report.

Personnel Research

Training and Certification of Highway Maintenance Workers
NCHRP Synthesis 483

The National Cooperative Highway Research Program has released a synthesis documenting front-line maintenance worker training and certification practices used by highway transportation agencies in the United States and Canada. Based on a literature review, survey of AASHTO Subcommittee on Maintenance members and Canadian ministries of transportation, and follow-up interviews. The report describes the topics currently being addressed in training and certification programs, the methods through which training is delivered, the sources of instruction, and the prevalence of material-sharing relationships. The report also details how training relates to performance and incentives used by agencies to encourage maintenance workers to complete training. Report.

Fleet Management Research

Work Vehicle Warning Lights: Color Options and Effectiveness
Kentucky Transportation Center Report 15-06

Standards for warning lights on highway work vehicles do not exist on the national level, but Kentucky statutes currently require amber lights on work vehicles and prohibit the use of red lights. A review of state agencies found that amber and white are the primary light colors currently used on highway vehicles. Two surveys produced several recommendations, including placing warning lights at high elevations on the vehicle, placement of lights against a solid-colored background, and investigating the feasibility of yellow-green LED lights. Report.

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