Small Projects Year 2 (2013-2014)
Evaluate H2RI Wicking Fabric for Pavement Applications
PI: Bill Connor (UAF), bgconnor@alaska.edu
Dates: 07/01/2013 – 10/31/2015
Final Project Report: PacTrans-26-UAF-Zhang-Connor
H2Ri wicking fabric is a new geotextile manufactured by TenCate Geosynthetics. It contains both a high modulus polypropylene yarn for reinforcement and a nylon wicking yarn which can absorb and transport water for drainage under unsaturated conditions. Therefore, H2Ri is a dual functional geosynthetic product, which can serve as reinforcement and provide drainage. When properly designed, it has the potential to dehydrate the subgrade and base course and consequently improve the performance of pavements. Read More
Assessment of Lube Oil Management and Self-Cleaning Oil Filter Feasibility in WSF (WA State Ferries) Vessels
PI: Liv Haselbach (WSU), haselbach@wsu.edu
Dates: 07/01/2013 – 7/31/2015
Final Project Report: PacTrans-44-WSU-Haselbach
Lube oil management aboard vessels is a critical component of maintaining the life of a vessel engine. Lube oil and the associated filters are expensive as is the maintenance and associated downtime. Disposal of filters as a hazardous waste and handling of lube oil presents an environmental risk and additional costs. Preventive and predictive management of lube oil can reduce lube oil maintenance costs and environmental risk, making the operation of Washington State Ferries (WSF) vessels more sustainable and cost effective. To gain these benefits WSF needs to consider both the economic and the environmental impacts of the self-cleaning oil filters alternative. Read More
NDE System for Determining Wood Guardrail Post Integrity
PI: Donald A. Bender (WSU), bender@wsu.edu
Dates: 07/01/2013 – 7/31/2015
Final Project Report: PacTrans-31-WSU-Bender
Wood guardrail posts degrade over time due to decay, insects and weathering, and the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) needs an inspection system to determine the condition of posts along our highways to effectively prioritize future investments in guardrail upgrades. There are approximately 1.5 to 2 million guardrail posts on the state highway system. Post inspection methods at WSDOT have never been uniformly defined, and the inspection opportunities have normally been associated with pavement preservation projects. Read More
Optimizing Asphalt Pavement Performance for Climate Zones Within Washington State
PI: Haifang Wen (WSU), haifang_wen@wsu.edu
Dates: 07/01/2013 – 8/31/2015
Final Project Report: PacTrans-34-WSU-Wen
The pavements in the State of Washington witnessed great differences in performance, depending on the climatic zones. The climate west of the Cascade (referred to as West) is generally mild with wet winters. The climate in east of the Cascade (referred to as East) is drier with more extreme temperatures which often drop below freezing during winter. Studded tires are widely used in this area during winter time, creating additional damage (rutting and abrasion) to the hot mix asphalt (HMA) pavements. Read More
Enhancing the Resilience of Idaho’s Transportation Network to Natural Hazards and Climate Change
PI: Tim Frazier (UI), tfrazier@uidaho.edu
Dates: 07/01/2013 – 7/31/2015
Final Project Report: PacTrans-52-UI-Frazier
The goals of this research are to determine both the process (i.e., methodology) and the technology (i.e., models) through which the vulnerability science community may provide value on critical and pervasive hazard risk-related issues to state and regional decision makers in Idaho for the purpose of transportation infrastructure resilience enhancement. To achieve the research goals, this study will conduct a probabilistic risk and vulnerability assessment of the state’s transportation network to current and future hazards with a special focus on increased flooding and landslide hazards associated with climate variability and change. Read More
