Research News

Field Analysis of Wood Guardrail Post Decay

Wood guardrail posts can be inspected for decay by using a non-destructive testing technique called stress wave timing (SWT). This project investigated the integrity of wood guardrail posts in strategic locations of Washington state using SWT and then analyzed the data to determine factors that may lead to increased wood decay rates. The researchers determined that high climate index, , a measure of a region’s average annual rainfall and temperature, and poor preservative retention levels were associated with high decay rates. WSDOT will be able to use the results of this project in considering approaches to managing its guardrail assets in the future.

Seattle Center City Alley Infrastructure Inventory and Occupancy Study 2018

The Supply Chain and Transportation Logistics (SCTL) Center at the University of Washington conducted an alley inventory and truck load/unload occupancy study for the City of Seattle. Researchers collected data identifying the locations and infrastructure characteristics of alleys within Seattle’s One Center City planning area. The resulting alley database includes GIS coordinates for both ends of each alley, geometric and traffic attributes, and photos. The researchers developed alley management recommendations to promote safe, sustainable, and efficient goods delivery and pick-up.

I-35 FRATIS Impacts Assessment

This project evaluated the impacts of roadway performance information delivery efforts on freight operations in Texas. A freight advanced traveler information system (FRATIS) was deployed in the form of the I-35 Traveler Information during Construction (TIDC) system in Dallas, Texas, in association with major reconstruction work on I-35. The evaluation focused on the impacts of delivering the TIDC information to trucking companies. Both participating trucking companies reported receiving benefit from the construction delay information.

... Read More about I-35 FRATIS Impacts Assessment

Bio-Based Renewable Additives for Anti-Icing Applications (Phase II)

Maintenance agencies are constantly seeking an alternative to chloride-based deicing salts, one with maximum anti-icing efficiency and minimum drawbacks. This project developed a high-performance “green” anti-icer, based on grape skins and other agricultural wastes, that can minimize the harmful impacts of traditional chloride-based salts.

Freeze-Thaw Durability and Long-Term Performance Evaluation of Shotcrete in Cold Regions

In recent years, some states have replaced cast-in-place (CIP) concrete with shotcrete for structural earth retaining components such as fascia walls. Shotcrete also has the potential to be a solution for traditional reinforced concrete retaining walls—if it shows economic benefits and good long-term performance. This study’s aim was to evaluate the freeze-thaw durability of shotcrete in cold regions and to develop better ways to predict its long-term performance.

Environmentally Friendly Pervious Concrete for Treating Deicer-Laden Stormwater (Phase II)

Pervious concrete holds great potential to mitigate the effects of deicers in stormwater runoff in cold regions and to support environmental conservation. This study provided a better understanding of the freeze/thaw and salt scaling resistance of pervious concrete modified with fly ash, with or without graphene oxide.

Investigation of Ultra-High Performance Concrete for Longitudinal Joints in Deck Bulb Tee Bridge Girders

Many state departments of transportation have used ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) in bridge construction because of its advanced mechanical properties. In this study, researchers tested a new UHPC mix, developed at Washington State University, for its structural performance when used in a reinforced spliced connection between adjacent concrete deck bulb tee (DBT) bridge decks. Because DBT bridges can be constructed quickly, WSDOT is interested in using them on major highways. Use of UHPC could make DBT bridges more suitable for the heavier traffic loads on such roadways.

Safe from Crime at Location-Specific Transit Facilities

Puget Sound transit agencies want to ensure the safety and security of transit riders. Transit operators have long monitored crime and are aware of high incident locations. However, they lack data-driven tools to readily match crime events with the locations of individual transit facilities and with transit service periods. This pilot project explored the use of data-driven tools to identify concentrations of criminal activity near transit facilities and illustrated how novel sets of disaggregated data on both crime and transit ridership can serve the development of models to assess the safety of transit riders at specific locations.

Benchmarking and Safety Assessment for Modified Lateral Spreading Design Procedure Using Three-Dimensional Nonlinear Finite Element Analysis

Liquefaction-induced lateral spreading is a critical design consideration for many bridges in highly seismic regions of the Pacific Northwest, with broad impacts on safety for the general public. The current design procedures used to estimate liquefaction-induced lateral spreading in bridge-foundation-soil systems are often overly conservative, with the result that the construction of bridges may be more costly than necessary. This project sought to verify the current modified simplified design procedure and to develop a database and benchmarking framework useful for future evaluations.

Improved Methodology for Benefit Estimation of Preservation Projects

This project evaluated WSDOT’s current process for calculating highway preservation project costs and benefits and then developed an improved approach. To quantify the regional economic benefits associated with its transportation investment projects, WSDOT uses software developed by the Federal Highway Administration known as the Highway Economic Requirements System—State Version (HERS-ST). The researchers developed a tool to supplement the HERS-ST for benefit and cost estimation processes. The improved method, combining the new HERS-ST-BAT tool with HERS-ST, will allow transportation agencies to more accurately and flexibly estimate changes in their own and user costs resulting from proposed pavement projects and to more effectively consider different investment alternatives.

Washington State Transportation Center