Small Projects Year 2 (2013-2014)
Encouraging Young Civil Engineers: Support for the UAF College of Engineering and Mines Steel Bridge Team Competition Steel Bridge
PI: Leroy Hulsey (UAF), jlhulsey@alaska.edu
Dates: 07/01/2013 – 6/30/2015
Final Project Report: PacTrans-43-UAF-Hulsey
The University of Alaska, Fairbanks (UAF) has a long and successful history competing in the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Steel Bridge Competition. In this competition, university students design and construct a small steel bridge that meets criteria established by the competition committee. Students learn to apply the knowledge learned in the classroom to an actual design project which they then construct. Not only do students learn application of structural design, but they learn constructability issues, scheduling, estimating and costing principles, and personnel management. Many of these students work for the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (ADOT&PF) after graduation. Dr. Leroy Hulsey is the team faculty adviser. Funds will provide materials for the competition.
Roundabout Design Training for Alaska’s Engineers
PI: Nathan Belz (UAF), npbelz@alaska.edu
Dates: 07/01/2013 – 7/31/2015
Final Project Report: PacTrans-49-UAF-Belz
Roundabout are an emerging type of intersection design, and are relatively new addition to the transportation system transportation system in the United States. As a result, guidelines for roundabout design and construction are very broad and leave much room for subjectivity. This can result in roundabout designs with performance and safety well below the level that was anticipated. Peer review of roundabout designs is one way of controlling this. As the peer review of designs becomes more popular, it is apparent that there is a need to develop a proper procedure for and identification of critical elements that should be checked during this review process. Read More
Improving Performance, Knowledge, and Methods to Provide Quality Service and Products
PI: Bill Conner (UAF), bgconnor@alaska.edu
Dates: 07/01/2013 – 6/30/2015
Final Project Report: PacTrans-27-UAF-Connor
The “Strategic Plan” of the Alaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities (DOT&PF) establishes “Excellence” as one of the department’s core values, and defines it as “Personal and department commitment to continually improve individual, team, and organizational knowledge, performance, and methods to provide quality service and products”. The extent to which this core value is exercised in practice is a function of the interpretation of this definition and inherent commitment, which are reflected in organizational culture. Read More
Evaluation of Precut Thermal Cracks for an Asphalt Concrete Pavement in Interior Alaska
PI: Jenny Liu (UAF), jliu6@alaska.edu
Dates: 07/01/2013 – 7/31/2015
Final Project Report: PacTrans-39-UAF-Liu
Many states are faced with the challenges of aging and degrading roadway pavements, and low temperature cracking is one of the most prevalent pavement distresses found in Alaska and in cold areas of other northern states. This requires significant repair efforts to maintain an acceptable pavement condition. The low temperature cracks are extensive enough that a significant portion of the Department of Transportation (DOT) Maintenance and Operations budget is allocated to sealing and the associated work required to repair low temperature cracking. Until new technology may someday eliminate cracking, significant funds will continue to be spent on crack sealing and repair. Read More
Performance of Depressed Medians on Divided Highways in Alaska
PI: Guhlam Bham (UAF), ghbham@uaa.alaska.edu
Dates: 07/01/2013 – 7/31/2015
Final Project Report: PacTrans-33-UAF-Bham
The population of Alaska especially the city of Anchorage is steadily increasing. As a result, traffic volumes are higher and demands to add lanes to existing highways is increasing in order to relieve congestion. In Alaska, an expressway or freeway is a high-speed (≥ 50 mph), multilane, divided highway with partial access control. These divided highways typically utilize wide medians. These medians are considered an option to be replace with narrow medians in order to provide additional through lanes to cater to the needs of higher traffic volume and keep traffic congestion to a minimum. Read More
