Thursday, December 14, 2023

Comprehensive Data Analysis for AMPT Tests on MO 740 and Hwy 54

In this study, the S&T research team conducted comprehensive data analysis from the Asphalt Mixture Performance Tester (AMPT) samples collected in the Highway 54 and MO 740 projects. The MO 740 project in Boone County contained test sections with five mix designs, i.e., control mix, ground tire rubber (GTR)-modified mixture, and three mixtures containing recycled plastic. The Highway 54 project had ten samples collected at different times during the production of the surface mix. The data were analyzed on both the material and structural scales, and for the MO 740 project, field performance was also used to verify the research findings. The fatigue performance index Sapp and the Rutting Strain Index (RSI) were calculated, and the mixture performance in pavement structures with realistic traffic loads and climate was predicted. The research found that the mixture performance in the Highway 54 project has a good correlation with the mixture volumetric properties. In terms of the different mix designs in the MO 740 project, the AMPT tests suggested that the GTR-modified mixture had the lowest modulus but had the highest cracking resistance. However, the mixture might have a higher rutting susceptibility than the other mixtures. On the other hand, the addition of plastic increased the mixture stiffness and did not have a great impact on the fatigue and rutting performance compared with the control mixture.


Report number: cmr 23-017
Published: December 2023
Project number: TR202417
Authors: Jenny Liu and Yizhuang David Wang
Performing organization: Missouri University of Science & Technology

Friday, December 1, 2023

Evaluation of Recycled Components in Stone Matrix Asphalt Mixes

Currently, Missouri DOT (MoDOT) does not allow use of recycled materials in SMAs although the HMAs are routinely incorporated with them. MoDOT commissioned this study to investigate the effect of incorporation of recycled materials such as RAP and GTR in SMAs. In Phase 1 of the study, plant-produced mixtures were collected, and recreated in the lab under BMD methodology to determine acceptable upper-limit on RAP for initial implementation. In Phase 2, friction properties of mixtures were obtained by testing aggregate stockpiles, lab and plant produced mixtures, and a field section containing GTR. Based on the results, the following conclusions were drawn: 1) The current use of conglomerate (non-homogeneous), unfractionated RAP stockpiles poses practical limitations in achieving passing BMD thresholds at higher levels of RAP, 2) Suitable frictional characteristics were achieved at lower levels of RAP but results indicated that the softer aggregates present in current RAP stockpiles tended to reduce skid resistance, and 3) Use of GTR appears to be promising option for incorporating recycled materials into Missouri pavements, based on lab BMD and skid resistance results in the lab and field. Based on the findings, the following recommendations were made :1) MoDOT should consider allowing RAP in SMA mixtures but, an upper limit of 15% asphalt binder replacement (ABR) from RAP is recommended at this time, 2) If greater than 15% ABR by RAP is considered, a value engineering proposal should be provided, accompanied with BMD tests, 3) The research supports the continued and increased usage of GTR as a possible approach towards achieving good mixture durability, skid resistance, and mixture sustainability.


Report number: cmr 23-016
Published: December 2023
Project number: TR202020
Authors: William G. Buttlar, Magdy Addelrahman, Punyaslok Rath, Jim Meister, Nandita Gettu, and Ahmed S. El-Ashwah
Performing organization: University of Missouri-Columbia and Missouri University of Science and Technology

Thursday, November 16, 2023

Vulnerable Road User (VRU) Safety Assessment

Vulnerable Road Users (VRUs) are nonmotorized road users, such as pedestrians and bicyclists, who do not have the protection of a vehicle shell. VRU injuries and fatalities have been increasing, leading to various efforts to assess and improve VRU safety. One such state-level effort is the development of a Missouri VRU safety assessment plan. This plan includes systemic analysis of intersection and segments, high-crash analysis of statewide facilities, examination of various contributory factors such as equity, unhoused pedestrians, transit, and lighting, and review of low-cost proven VRU countermeasures. Certain facilities stand out from the crash analysis such as urbanized three-legged and four-legged intersections, rural two-lane undivided highways, urbanized roadways, and controlled access roadways because of secondary crashes. Stakeholders reviewed the data-driven results and were engaged via two meetings as well as an electronic survey. For the near term, there are various low-cost countermeasures that could be deployed over intersections and entire corridors in Missouri, such as beacons and leading signal intervals. For the long term, technological solutions could help to reduce or eliminate human error of both drivers and VRUs. 


Report number: cmr 23-015
Published: November 2023
Project number: TR202322
Authors: Carlos Sun, Henry Brown, Praveen Edara, Julie Stilley, and Joe Reneker
Performing organization: University of Missouri-Columbia

Wednesday, August 9, 2023

Pile Setup and Restrike Procedures

The primary objective of this research is to provide MoDOT with rational procedures and guidelines to incorporate pile setup in MoDOT pile design. Pile setup refers to the time-dependent increase in the capacity of driven piles that occurs after the end of pile driving. High-strain dynamic load test data from end of driving (EOD) and beginning of restrike (BOR) were compiled from sites in Northern Missouri and Southeast Missouri to develop models of pile setup in these regions where the use of friction piles is common. Reliability analysis was performed using the model developed from Northern Missouri data to probabilistically calibrate resistance factors that can be applied to the expected pile setup without the need for restrikes. The application of these resistance factors is shown to produce significant cost benefits over the current common practice of ignoring pile setup. In addition, pile setup factors within the first 24 hrs. of the EOD were examined to provide information on the likelihood of successful restrikes for various levels of required capacity. Data from sites in Southeast Missouri were insufficient to develop a meaningful model of pile setup and associated resistance factors. The limited data that were used showed moderate levels of pile setup, indicating the use of restrike analysis in Southeast Missouri may be cost effective. Additional data collection at sites in Southeast Missouri is recommended.


Report number: cmr 23-014
Published: August 2023
Project number: TR202207
Authors: Brent L. Rosenblad and Andrew Z. Boeckmann
Performing organization: University of Missouri-Columbia

Tuesday, August 1, 2023

Impacts of Hydraulic Modeling Methods on Bridge Scour Analysis

This study has three primary purposes: 1) to investigate the impacts of hydraulic modeling methods on bridge scour analysis, 2) to develop recommendations for sediment/soil sampling methods, and 3) to conduct bridge scour risk assessments. Field data were collected at five study sites to obtain the required terrain and soil/sediment input data for hydraulic modeling and scour analyses. The recommended methods developed for soil/sediment sampling in the overbank areas are soil augers or test pits, and for overwater locations, a FISP or clamshell sampler is recommended. Contraction, abutment, and pier scour depths were computed using the HEC-18 guidelines with hydraulic conditions determined from a 1-D model (HEC-RAS) and a 2-D model (SRH-2D).Determining the required input parameters for scour calculations from HEC-RAS results was found to be difficult with many potential sources of human error. In contrast, the Hydraulic Toolbox program for scour calculations can auto-populate the required input parameters directly from SRH-2D output data. For all bridge sites evaluated, estimates for at least one of the main scour categories (i.e., channel contraction scour, pier scour, or abutment scour) were more than 50% different between the HEC-RAS 1-D and SRH-2D results. The key findings from comparing model results were: 1) the angle of attack was the dominant pier scour input parameter and 2) flow conveyance over inundated roadway embankments was significantly greater for SRH-2D relative to the HEC-RAS model. The 2-D modeling methods are recommended for future use given the significant differences observed between the 1-D and 2-D scour results, increased availability of terrain data, current computing resources, and ease of use. Finally, due to differences in the HEC-RAS and SRH-2D estimated scour depths, reanalyzing high-risk and/or visually vulnerable bridges is recommended.


Report number: cmr 23-013
Published: August 2023
Project number: TR202017
Authors: Amanda L. Cox, Ronaldo Luna, Peter Kickham, and Harrison Wooters
Performing organization: Water Access Technology, Environment, and Resources (WATER) Institute

Friday, July 14, 2023

Truck Parking Investments for Missouri

Missouri’s multimodal freight system is critical to the health of both the state and national economy, and as the economy and population grow, goods movement activity is expected to increase. This growing demand for goods will likely mean more trucks on the road, leading to a greater need to enhance the infrastructure necessary for trucks to improve safety for both truck drivers and the traveling public. The Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) commissioned this study to develop a prioritized list of truck parking locations and immediate actions for near- and long-term changes in truck parking availability in Missouri. The key objectives of this study are to identify an initial list of locations for possible investment, develop a methodology to prioritize locations in Missouri for potential truck parking investments via truck parking demand and truck parking safety metrics, assign a prioritization score for the 18 most promising sites, and conduct an analysis of benefits and costs for each shortlisted site. The shortlist of 18 public truck parking facilities was prioritized by their benefit-cost ratio effectiveness. As Missouri considers strategies and policies to produce a lasting impact in the availability of truck parking, investment in these identified facilities will yield the highest positive impact with the lowest cost. However, given limited funding to develop all the facilities, the 12 with a benefit-cost ratio (BCR) effectiveness score greater than one should be considered first. For the development of these sites, next steps will involve more detailed engineering and design assessments to further understand the local costs and impacts. Overall, with a projected increase in truck traffic throughout Missouri, this study reaffirms the need for increased funding for truck parking investment and the increase of truck parking capacity.


Report number: cmr 23-012
Published: July 2023
Project number: TR202313
Authors: Katie Kirk, Dan Andersen, Gui, Leao, Bridget Wieghart, Vincent Besson, and Shashank Pulikanti
Performing organization: Cambridge Systematics, Inc. and WSP USA, Inc.

Tuesday, June 6, 2023

Performance of Cost-Effective Non-Proprietary UHPC in Thin-Bonded Bridge Overlays

The constructability and performance of non-proprietary thixotropic UHPC for thin bonded bridge deck overlay construction was investigated. Task 1 reviewed literature on UHPC for thin bonded overlays and non-proprietary UHPC.  Crack monitoring of experimental slabs cast with UHPC thin bonded overlay (MoDOT project TR201704) and pull-off bond strength and flexural behavior for 16 composite overlay slabs cast with UHPC were determined. The overlay materials included a conventional concrete, a latex-modified concrete, and five non-proprietary UHPC mixtures made with different combinations of saturated lightweight sand (LWS) and expansive agent, fiber volumes of 2% and 3.25%, and overlay thicknesses of 1, 1.5, and 2 in. Flexural testing of the 16 overlay slabs made with substrate concrete used for bridge construction and thin bonded overlays showed that the use of UHPC overlay delayed crack opening and propagation in slab specimens. Task 2 involved fine tuning of two non-proprietary UHPC mixtures to enhance thixotropy. The effect of nanoclay, diutan and welan gums, cellulose-based viscosity-modifying admixture, anti-bleeding and segregation (ABS) admixture, styrene-butadiene rubber, and acrylic ester on key UHPC properties was evaluated. The use of 0.5% of the ABS admixture, by mass of binder, exhibited the highest thixotropy without mitigating mechanical properties of the UHPC. The effect of fiber volume was evaluated, and 3.25% volume was selected to enhance hardened properties. The robustness of the optimized UHPC was evaluated by varying the w/cm by ±10% and the sand moisture content by ±1%. These variations did not have a significant influence on rheology, shrinkage, and compressive strength. Task 3 proposed provisional performance-based specifications for the non-proprietary thixotropic UHPC for bridge overlay construction. The specifications included two proven mixture designs, batching and mixing protocols, test methods, and performance criteria for workability, mechanical properties, as well as autogenous and drying shrinkage. Recommendations were provided for minimum moist curing and compressive strength before bridge opening. Task 4 involved the implementation of the LWS17 and SRA1-3.25% mixture for the rehabilitation of two MoDOT bridge decks. A mockup slab was prepared to demonstrate the constructability of the UHPC. After 8 months of outdoor exposure, the slab did not exhibit any cracking. A field mockup test consisting of two slabs measuring 12 x 12 ft. was conducted by the contractor using 1 in. twisted steel fiber instead of ½ in. microfiber. The temperature of the fresh UHPC ranged from 90 to 99 F, which is higher than the specified value of 86F. A curing compound, wet burlap, and plastic sheet were stipulated for 7 days before bridge opening. In-situ temperature of the UHPC dropped from 78°F at 1 day to 40°F after 2 days in the Route M overlay and to 20° F at 7 days. All compressive strength results were lower than the minimum specified values of 17,400, and 18,700 psi at 7 days and 28 days, respectively. The 2-, 7-, and 28-day compressive strengths of samples taken from the North bound lane of the Route Z Bridge are 38%, 7%, and 24%, respectively, lower than those from the South bound lane. Furthermore, samples taken from two batches along the same lane of Route Z Bridge exhibited some variation in compressive strength. The high spread in compressive strength between samples taken from different batches of the Z Bridge can be attributed to material quality control issues, especially in the case of excess water that was encountered with the saturated LWS. High strain values of -3000 and -2400 µε (in compression) were recorded in the overlay at the midspan of the bridges in Route Z and M overlays, respectively.


Report number: cmr 23-011
Published: June 2023
Project number: TR202121
Authors: Kamal H. Khayat, Le Teng, and Alfred Addai-Nimoh
Performing organization: Missouri University of Science & Technology

Tuesday, May 23, 2023

Consultant Support for Intelligent Compaction and Paver-Mounted Thermal Profiling Projects in 2022-2023

Due to the success of the MoDOT 2017-2021 Intelligent Compaction and Paver-Mounted Thermal Profiling (IC-PMTP) projects that demonstrate the paving quality improvements on numerous field projects, MoDOT has established a plan that includes additional IC-PMTP projects in 2022 and 2023. To ensure the continued success of the MoDOT IC-PMTP projects in 2022 and beyond, MoDOT has procured Consulting Support for the selected IC-PMTP projects in 2022-2023 and implemented many initiatives such as data quality assurance (QA), performance tracking, and future acceptance with IC-PMTP data. This report is Part 1 of the Task 8 deliverable – 2022 Final Report.


Report number: cmr 23-010
Published: May 2023
Project number: TR202221
Authors: George K. Chang, Amanda Gilliland, and Abbas TaghaviGhalesari
Performing organization: The Transtec Group, Inc.

Field Demonstration of Post-Consumer Waste Plastics and Ground Tire Rubber in Columbia, Missouri

Research has shown that asphalt pavements can serve as a destination for some of the major streams of waste materials around the globe, such as scrap tires and plastics. Heightened restrictions imposed by China in terms of waste stream contamination in 2018 has catalyzed research on incorporating post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastics into asphalt pavements. On the other hand, Ground tire rubber (GTR) from scrap tires have been used in asphalt pavements since the 1960s, but has not achieved its full potential in terms of market adoption. A field demonstration project is underway in Columbia, MO, to evaluate the incorporation of modern recycled plastic and GTR in asphalt mixtures. The project focused on dry-process modification which requires minimal alterations to an existing asphalt plant and allows a higher amount of the recyclates to be added. The project was designed to assist in Missouri DOT’s early roll-out of Balanced Mix Design (BMD) specifications. Among the strategies investigated, it was found that a softer virgin binder grade led to the best improvement in BMD cracking test scores. From a production and construction point of view, the operations went smoothly and closely mirrored the equipment, procedures and results observed early in the project during the control mixture production and laydown stage. After the first two winters, a moderate amount of reflective cracking was noted in all test sections and in the control section. The results of the study suggest the viability of dry-process, GTR and PCR plastic as a greener alternative to binders modified with virgin polymers and/or chemical treatments. Future studies will be needed to examine additional PCR plastic streams, especially more highly mixed streams.


Report number: cmr 23-009
Published: April 2023
Project number: TR202125
Authors: William G. Buttlar, Punyaslok Rath, Jim Meister, Hamed Majidifard, Patrick Beckemeyer, Nandita Gettu, and Helmut Leodarta
Performing organization: Missouri Center for Transportation Innovation

Tuesday, April 4, 2023

Bats Use of Bridges and Culverts

Bats are found on every continent except Antarctica and play a crucial role in our ecosystems from pollination to pest control to seed dispersal. Although bats use natural roosts such as trees and caves, many species also use anthropogenic roosts such as buildings and transportation structures. Because of this, a growing number of transportation departments are integrating bat management strategies into structure maintenance schedules. The objectives of this document were to compile what is known about how bats use transportation structures (specifically bridges and culverts), determine what technologies are available for surveying these structures for bats, and report on available methods for removing bats or deterrents for discouraging use during construction and repairs. Here we include a review of literature from journal articles, departments of transportation manuals, federal documents, questionnaires, conference materials, white papers, and gray literature. The literature review revealed that most of what we know about bat use of bridges and culverts comes from states in the western part of the U.S. There is a good understanding of structure material, size, and surrounding habitat that is favorable for western bats, and structure roosting information on western bat species use has been well documented. However, there is not a good understanding and there is a lot less information about how bats use these structures in the eastern states. There are an increasing number of practices, data collection forms, and electronic resources used for bat surveys at transportation structures as this topic of interest has gained popularity in recent years. The use of these resources and continued efforts to survey transportation structures will provide comparable data to the western states. With more federally threatened and endangered bat species in the east than in the west, and several species under status review for listing, the collection of these data are more important than ever.


Report number: cmr 23-008
Published: April 2023
Project number: TR202208
Authors: Theresa Wetzel and Piper Roby
Performing organization: Copperhead Environmental Consulting, Inc.

Wednesday, March 22, 2023

AMR Leader-Follower System TMA Evaluation

To reduce worker injuries in truck mounted attenuator (TMA) crashes, the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) is piloting a Leader-Follower TMA system, which allows the worker to be removed from the follower vehicle, in two districts. The objectives of this research study are to evaluate MoDOT’s pilot program for Leader-Follower TMAs in two districts, to synthesize practices of other state Departments of Transportation (DOTs) regarding Leader-Follower TMAs, and to identify obstacles to implementation faced by other state DOTs. The research methodology to meet this objective includes a literature review, DOT survey and interviews, field study, interviews with MoDOT personnel, and economic analysis. Results from field evaluations conducted in this research study and other prior research studies generally show that the system performs as expected, with some challenges related to GPS-denied environment, tight turns, and path deviations. Based on the survey results, four agencies have implemented Leader-Follower TMA systems, 19 agencies are exploring or have previously explored them, and 20 agencies are not exploring their potential use. Overall, the study findings indicate that the Leader-Follower TMA has the potential to be an effective tool in improving safety for workers in mobile work zones. A benefit-cost-ratio (BCR) of 0.83 was calculated in this research study. There is potential for the BCR to increase in the future as costs will likely decrease due to economies of scale. Challenges to implementation are both technical (e.g., GPS signal loss, need for situational awareness of hills and curves, need for performance data, and need for procedures to reset the system when there is no driver in follower vehicle) and non-technical (e.g., legislation, procurement, competing priorities, and lack of awareness of the system and its capabilities). Potential enhancements to help address some of the technical challenges include a supplementary guidance system for loss of GPS signal, a remote reset 
feature, additional cameras, and a remote alarm trigger.


Report number: cmr 23-007
Published: March 2023
Project number: TR202119a
Authors: Henry Brown, Praveen Edara, Carlos Sun, Ho Jun Baek, Zhu Qing, and Jeffrey Kupko
Performing organization: Missouri Center for Transportation Innovation

Wednesday, March 8, 2023

Methods for Increasing Missouri’s Passenger Rail Business Revenues

This research identifies opportunities to enhance revenue including yield management, creative fare schemes and campaigns, partnerships attractions and institutions. As part of this effort, the authors interviewed overseas rail operators to provide examples of revenue enhancement as well as operators such as Brightline and Amtrak to identify examples and opportunities to enhance promotions, fare revenue and ridership. Within the Missouri River Runner corridor catchment area, the authors identified and analyzed numerous attractions, institutions and municipalities that could partner with to enhance revenue. In addition, USDOT/FRA programs were highlighted to provide numerous funding sources that can assist with capital improvements to the right of way which can lead to greater customer satisfaction and therefore ridership and revenue. It is recommended that MoDOT assesses the local assets and industry practices identified in this study and utilize those which it finds most appropriate to enhance revenue, potentially serving as models for other state supported services.

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Report number: cmr 23-006
Published: March 2023
Project number: TR202210
Authors: Peter Waldt, Dr. Stephanie Atallah, Ronald Hartman, and Tim Watson
Performing organization: WSP USA Inc.

Monday, February 20, 2023

Safety Evaluation of Permissive Flashing Yellow Arrows for Left-Turn Movements in Missouri

With over a decade of crash data available since the beginning of flashing yellow arrow (FYA) use, MoDOT decided to objectively investigate the safety performance of the system. Additionally, they wished to have an accurate inventory of all FYA installations statewide, and a determination of the benefit-cost ratio of the signal system. A virtual survey of every signalized intersection on the MoDOT system revealed 841 FYA signals, and the research team either recorded dates relayed by MoDOT or estimated them from as-built plans or photo logs. A simple before and after analysis revealed FYA operation appears to reduce KABC left turn opposite direction crashes about 14 percent and left turn opposite direction O crashes approximately 18 percent when protected-permissive left turn phasing is used before and after FYA installation. Further, this analysis estimates that the lifecycle benefits of installing FYA on an intersection approach are expected to be approximately 5 to 44 times greater than the installation cost, depending on the left turn phasing used before and after FYA installation.

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Report number: cmr 23-005
Published: February 2023
Project number: TR202102
Authors: Joseph G. Jones, Nick Foster, and Kush Bhagat
Performing organization: Leidos, Inc.

Friday, February 17, 2023

Development of a Geotechnical Asset Management Collection and Rating Program for Missouri Department of Transportation

The Missouri DOT research team, led by Landslide Technology, developed a prototype Geotechnical Asset Management (GAM) program through close collaboration with MoDOT geotechnical engineers and MoDOT’s IT group.  The team adjusted published and commonly accepted categories from state and federal GAM inventory and rating approaches to match conditions specific to Missouri. The GAM program compiles condition and risk assessment for six asset types: engineered embankments, retaining walls, rock slopes, soil slopes, subsidence, and subgrade. Subsidence and subgrade improvements were successfully incorporated into Missouri’s GAM program despite not being previously incorporated into an other DOT’s GAM inventory. The risk assessment rating developed for this project allows DOTs to approximate risk in the absence of site-specific maintenance or accident records.  Data is collected via ESRI’s Survey123 Application before being scraped and processed in MoDOT’s TMS system, where it is added to other department datasets. The application was field-tested on National Highway System (NHS) routes in the Northwest and Northeast Districts in October 2022.

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Report number: cmr 23-004
Published: February 2023
Project number: TR202007
Authors: Aine E. Mines, Darren L. Beckstrand, and Michael D. Bunn 
Performing organization: Landslide Technology, Inc.

Tuesday, February 14, 2023

Fiber Reinforced Concrete for Bridge Deck Overlays

This report reviews available research literature and reports on Fiber Reinforced Concrete (FRC) mixtures to recognize best practices of using FRC overlay mixtures and identify products with the potential of being successfully utilized in Missouri. State DOT representatives were surveyed to consolidate the current state of practice as it relates to the use of FRC, particularly for bridge decks. The survey shows that there are a variety of approaches and implementation methods from coast to coast. Also reported are the findings of a laboratory program involving evaluation of twelve fibers, representing a broad spectrum of available fiber types. Each fiber was intermixed into a representative concrete mixture at three different dosages to evaluate the performance of the recommended range. Testing was carried out for standard physical strength metrics, durability performance, and specialized FRC toughness. Additionally, the impact of fibers on restrained shrinkage cracking and tensile bond strength of FRC was evaluated. Results indicated that fibers can be introduced to concrete mixtures to obtain workable mixtures with little change to the underlying concrete mixture proportions. A generalized trend could not be established between fiber characteristics and mechanical or durability properties. Good correlation was observed between flexural toughness and fiber dosage. A noticeable difference was documented between the performance of synthetic and steel fibers when subjected to the ASTM C1609 test. The ASTM C1550 test indicated varying behaviors at different prescribed deflection levels. Restrained shrinkage testing showed the lower dosages recommended showed little improvement over the non-FRC control mixture; higher fiber dosages showed improvements in resistance to restrained shrinkage cracking. Many concerns regarding the inclusion of fibers in concrete were overcome and, if eliminated, FRC can result in mixtures with similar strength and durability characteristics to traditional non-FRC concrete with improved crack resistance. These are ideal characteristics of an overlay concrete that needs to be compliant with the underlying concrete while not reflecting through any existing cracks to prolong the life of the underlying structural concrete. 

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Report number: cmr 23-003
Published: February 2023
Project number: TR202113
Authors: Kamran Amini, Pavan Vaddey, Benjamin F. Birch, and David Corr 
Performing organization: Construction Technology Laboratories, Inc. (CTLGroup)

Thursday, February 2, 2023

Landslide Monitoring Methods: Application of Existing Technologies to Long-Term and Real-Time Monitoring of Slope Movements

Various landslide monitoring techniques were applied concurrently to a known cut-slope landslide and a previously unknown fill slope failure, both on the Ozark Mountain Highroad (Missouri Route 76) near Branson, Missouri. Both subsurface and drone-based monitoring techniques were employed so that the strengths and weaknesses of the various monitoring techniques could be compared. Slope inclinometer casings and vibrating wire piezometers were installed at the three borings drilled in the project area. An in-place inclinometer was installed in one boring to demonstrate the effectiveness of instrumented landslide monitoring. Dataloggers were connected to a cellular modem to enable real-time monitoring of the instruments through a web-based interface. LiDAR data was collected by drone annually.  The research team developed a subsurface geometry for both slides and identified movement triggering events.  The team also compared the various monitoring techniques to provide guidance for future selection of long-term monitoring methods at other unstable slopes.

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Report number: cmr 23-002
Published: February 2023
Project number: TR202016
Authors: Aine E. Mines, Darren L. Beckstrand, and Michael D. Bunn
Performing organization: Landslide Technology, Inc.

Friday, January 27, 2023

Asset Management for Mobility and ITS

The Federal Highway Administration currently requires pavement and bridge National Highway System assets to be managed through a formal plan at the statewide level regardless of ownership. The methods for Transportation Asset Management planning for pavements and bridges are relatively well defined and mature. To incorporate evolving technologies and new industry standards, methods and practices need to continue to progress and evolve. New Intelligent Transportation System and Transportation Systems Management and Operations assets must be managed and maintained, with similar methods to bridges and pavements, to keep the asset management processes consistent. This project outlined a literature review, a state of the practice survey, an assessment of several state-published Transportation Asset Management Plans, and the development and application of a tool for use in varied settings across the Missouri to manage Intelligent Transportation Systems and other new mobility assets and highlights the importance of a common asset management approach, risk management, and quality data management plans. Future recommendations and strategies are provided to the Missouri Department of Transportation to improve and incorporate new mobility assets into existing transportation asset management plans.

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Report number: cmr 23-001
Published: January 2023
Project number: TR202117
Authors: Jay Bledsoe, Jason Bittner, Neil Janes, and Dr. Hannah Silber
Performing organization: Applied Research Associates, Inc.