After more than a year and a half of outstanding leadership, Nikki
Hatch has left WisDOT's Research and Communication Services Section. The Research program made great strides, both
in expanding services to the department and in more effectively
targeting and responding to customers:
The Research & Library Unit launched a new policy research program focused on the needs of
WisDOT's managers.
The unit met with staff at regional offices, raising awareness
of the products and services that Research offers and identifying
opportunities for improved communication and implementation of
research results.
The new Library and iCommons Learning Center at Hill Farms opened
in 2007, featuring skilled reference staff, physical and digital
resources, public workstations and collaborative meeting space.
The new Research and Library Advisory Committee,
consisting of division administrators and directors from the Executive
Offices, began meeting and providing strategic direction and coordination of
research and library activities throughout the department.
Research created a new Web site to more effectively share research
results broadly and to better promote our services internally.
In late October, the department appointed Daniel Yeh as Chief of
the Research and Communication Services Section.
New WisDOT Research Web site
A new WisDOT Web site will meet the needs of
both internal and external customers. The site is still accessible using the Research & Library link on the
WisDOT Internet home page and
on the toolbar at the top of the page throughout the site.
New features include:
Reorganized content to make it easier for visitors to find the
information they need. There is program and services information
directed at WisDOT staff, as well as details about all of the research
projects for those looking to learn from the department's efforts.
A search engine for locating completed research products by topic,
researcher, program and other keywords. The database supporting this search engine
includes all research reports, briefs, Transportation Synthesis
Reports, peer exchange reports and more and makes it much easier to
locate the research that has been done on a particular topic.
All completed and in progress research, organized by subject area.
An expanded list of transportation research resources.
A news page to promote recent products and the quarterly
newsletter.
If you have questions or comments about the site, contact Kirsten
Seeber.
Annual Research Work Program approved
Every year, WisDOT submits a Work Program to the Federal
Highway Administration describing each research project and activity
planned for the upcoming federal fiscal year. FHWA must approve this
planned use of WisDOT's Part II State Planning & Research funds before
the projects can get under way.
FHWA has approved the 2009 Work
Program, which includes:
Nine new Wisconsin multimodal projects.
Seven new Wisconsin materials and construction projects.
22 pooled fund
research projects.
Three peer exchanges.
Contribution to the National Cooperative Highway Research Program.
Contribution to the Transportation Research Board.
Contribution to the
UW-Madison National Center for Freight & Infrastructure Research
& Education.
Do you have a research or information need? Contact
us anytime at (608) 261-8198.
Peer exchanges: A service of WisDOT Research
To help WisDOT staff learn from other agencies' best practices,
Research provides planning and logistical support, travel expenses and
reporting services for WisDOT-hosted peer exchanges.
What is a peer exchange?
Two- to four-day conference in Madison hosted by WisDOT.
Gathering of WisDOT staff, peers from other states (five to seven)
and FHWA.
Presentations, discussions, roundtables—an intense and
rewarding information exchange.
Peer exchanges are available to the entire department to help managers
make decisions related to current challenges and priority projects. Topics
have included vehicle titling issues, real estate issues, indirect and
cumulative impacts of transportation projects, Disadvantaged Business
Enterprise programs, and research management.
How do I request a peer exchange?
Contact Research anytime at
(608) 261-8198. Planning takes about four months, and the exchanges can
happen any time of year.
Research will fulfill peer exchange requests based on funding
availability.
WisDOT Librarian John Cherney attended two key
conferences recently to help keep WisDOT at the forefront of
transportation library activities nationwide.
Held September 25 and 26, this meeting brought together state DOT and academic
transportation librarians from nine member Midwestern states, as well as
from East and West Coast transportation libraries.
As chair of MTKN, Cherney was very pleased with both
the attendance and the collaboration between partners. “We know each
other so well and are dealing with many of the same issues. MTKN
members are like an extension of each organization’s own staff. These
meetings lead to better resource and data sharing, which improves all of
our libraries,” he said.
Special Libraries Association Annual Meeting–Transportation
Division
Cherney also participated in the 99th annual SLA meeting on June 14 to 18. This national forum
provides a great opportunity for networking with peers and discussing
pressing issues facing transportation libraries around the country.
Cherney presented to the Transportation Division on
the efforts of MTKN and attended information sessions on cataloging
documents, integration of library activities with parent organizations, the
role of the National Transportation Library and more. According to one
longtime attendee, this meeting saw the largest gathering yet of state
DOT librarians.
Stay-in-place bridge deck forms improve worker safety and reduce costs
WHRP Project 0092-06-07, Specification and Design of Fiber
Reinforced Bridge Deck Forms for Use on Wide Flange T-Girders
WisDOT is updating its bridge deck specifications to include admissible
alternatives to traditional wooden formwork. Building a concrete
bridge deck typically requires constructing temporary wooden shoring to
provide a foundation for the concrete slab as it hardens. The increased
use of long-lasting, wide-flanged concrete girders, which are very closely
spaced, makes installing this formwork difficult. Moreover, the process is
costly and time-consuming, and removing the wooden formwork after the
concrete has hardened is one of the most dangerous tasks in bridge
construction.
University of Wisconsin investigators performed several types of
dropped-weight impact tests on several alternative formwork
materials to see if these were strong enough to withstand the weight not
only of the wet concrete but of construction workers and equipment on top of them. The alternatives considered were all inexpensive, off the
shelf, non-metallic (to avoid rust and other concerns), and
designed to be left permanently in place as a non-structural part of the
bridge. They included concrete slabs reinforced with various rods, fibers
and other materials, as well as fiber-reinforced plastic planks.
Using these test results, the team developed a list of
acceptable materials and criteria for admitting new materials to the
list. They were also able to rule out some materials that were already in
limited use. The performance criteria coming out of this project will save
WisDOT money and serve as a national model for this type of specification.
For details, read the research
brief, watch the video
summarizing the project, go to the study's project
page or contact Scot
Becker, co-chair of the Structures Technical Oversight Committee, at
(608) 266-5161.
TSR spotlight: Use of fly ash in full-depth reclamation
To minimize the environmental impact and cost of paving roads,
WisDOT currently replaces a portion of portland cement in its concrete
pavement mixtures with recycled fly ash, a byproduct of coal-fired power
plants that is normally sent to landfills.
WisDOT is exploring the possibility of extending this use of fly ash
from pavement to full-depth reclamation, a process that involves
pulverizing asphalt pavement and mixing it with additives for use as the
base course of an overlay. Because it is self-cementing when it reacts
with soil and water, fly ash can be used as an inexpensive and
environmentally friendly way to stabilize base courses without hauling
away existing road materials. Fly ash also has the advantage of increasing
road strength and durability.
To gather more information about this issue, WisDOT's Bureau of Technical
Services requested a Transportation Synthesis Report
to learn how other state
DOTs are using fly ash in road construction, especially full-depth
reclamation. Of particular interest were the types of pavements and bases
in which fly ash is used, the amount used, and cost and performance data.
To collect this data, we identified documents and Web sites describing
guidelines, state studies and research in progress concerning the use of
fly ash in road construction. One particularly useful resource is FHWA's
Fly Ash Facts for Highway Engineers, which contains recommendations for
the use of fly ash in portland concrete, asphalt and base courses.
We also conducted a survey of state practices via the AASHTO listserv.
"State survey results provided very useful information," said
WisDOT Research Engineer Irene Battaglia. "They show that while not
all states are using fly ash in pavement and base materials, where it is
used, it has helped reduce costs and increase the durability of
roads."
WisDOT Research produces TSRs at the request of staff in all divisions
and regions, with topics ranging from materials and construction issues to
planning, operations, safety, environmental, motor vehicle and business
management concerns. See recently published TSRs on the Research Web site.
Pooled fund technical representatives share best practices
For more than 20 years,
FHWA has
sponsored the Transportation Pooled Fund Program as a means for interested
states, FHWA and other organizations to partner in solving
transportation-related problems of common interest. Partners may pool
funds and other resources to solve these problems through research,
planning and technology transfer activities.
WisDOT Research invests $300,000 to $600,000 in these pooled fund
studies each year, leveraging millions of dollars in research that
directly benefits WisDOT. We rely on WisDOT staff to serve as technical
representatives on the panels that oversee these projects. They advocate
for WisDOT's needs on the project, facilitate implementation of the
results and work to make sure that we are getting the anticipated return
on our investment.
To better support WisDOT's pooled fund technical representatives in
their role and to encourage more effective information sharing about the
projects, Research hosted a meeting with current representatives August
26. Nineteen technical representatives participated in the meeting, which
included:
Sharing of best practices for managing projects and implementing
results
Highlights from successful pooled fund projects
Project selection and funding overview
Discussion of how Research can support staff involvement
For more information about WisDOT's involvement in the Transportation
Pooled Fund program, contact Kirsten
Seeber.
Maximizing the benefits of AASHTO and TRB for WisDOT
WisDOT's senior management asked
the Research program to review the scope of WisDOT's involvement in
national research activities, such as AASHTO and
TRB, and to capture
the benefits to the department.
With the help of Marci Kenney, the recently retired
Director of FHWA's Office of Program Development and Evaluation at the
Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center, we interviewed more than 20 staff
members involved in AASHTO and TRB to find out what staff are bringing
back to WisDOT and what additional opportunities exist.
Research staff also met with other WisDOT staff September
23 to share the interview results and to brainstorm how to better
coordinate efforts toward high-priority department objectives.
Overall, staff members are very enthusiastic about their
participation in AASHTO and TRB, as well as the value of this participation. They
cited many benefits, including:
Establishing a network of professional contacts
for rapid advice and sharing of best practices.
Learning from other states’
experiences (avoiding pitfalls).
Leveraging national funding and expertise to
address issues of importance to WisDOT.
Influencing national standards and seizing opportunities for early adoption.
Influencing national policies and
programs.
Keeping current with transportation needs, issues
and directions.
Avoiding duplication of effort and wasted resources.
Providing training and professional development to WisDOT
staff.
The Research and Library Unit will publish a report in the coming weeks
that will include the results of the staff interviews, the
brainstorming meeting and Research's plans to facilitate improved
information sharing.
The conference
brings together research administrators from all over the country, along
with FHWA, the National Transportation Library, independent consultants
and others. The meeting is a tremendous opportunity for states to
collaborate on key issues related to transportation research and to share
best practices in program management and development.
Participants met in regional breakout groups and in RAC task groups
addressing key issues such as research funding, coordination and
collaboration, program management and quality, and future needs.
In addition, participants in the Transportation Research Program
International Scan shared the results of their April 2008 trip to Sweden, Netherlands,
Belgium, France, Japan and Korea. The U.S. team of 11 traveled abroad to review and assess transportation research
program administration practices of the host countries. The scan tour
members presented their key takeaways for enhancing the effectiveness of
transportation research administrative activities in the United States and what to
expect in the final report due out in early 2009.
Clear Roads launches three new projects
The Clear Roads winter
maintenance pooled fund Technical Advisory Committee met in Madison
on July 29 to 30 to share state practices and challenges and to score
proposals for new research projects. Representatives from the 14 member
state DOTs participated along with guests from FHWA, AASHTO, Washington
DOT, North Dakota DOT and Maine DOT.
The committee is kicking off the following three projects this fall:
Interface specifications for mobile data platforms on DOT
vehicles
Researchers will develop interface specifications for mobile data
platforms used in roadway maintenance operations. The adoption of
these new standards will simplify the process of adding new components
and reduce the overall costs to develop and maintain a mobile data
platform.
Cost-benefit analysis toolkit for winter maintenance practices,
equipment and operations
Researchers will develop a cost-benefit toolkit that winter operations
managers can use to compare the benefits of investing in a range of
advanced winter maintenance technologies and equipment. WisDOT will
use the toolkit to make more effective highway operations purchasing
decisions, maintaining or improving our level of service while
reducing overall costs.
Safe winter driving messages
Researchers will produce, distribute and evaluate winter driving
safety messages aimed at high-risk drivers and develop recommendations
for refining this marketing effort for application nationwide. WisDOT
will use the project results to target high-risk winter drivers in
Wisconsin with the most effective messages and formats for changing
their driving behavior. The goal is to reduce crashes, injuries and
deaths related to winter driving.
Each member state contributes $25,000 per year to Clear Roads,
leveraging $350,000 in new research. The Technical Advisory Committee will
meet next in January 2009 to propose research projects for FFY 2010. For
more information about Clear Roads, contact Kim
Linsenmayer.
Over the past two quarters, WisDOT Research produced
eight research briefs and seven Transportation Synthesis Reports.
Research Reports
and Briefs
Bridge Integrated Analysis and Decision Support: Case Histories
0092-04-15, August 2008 Final
report(3.6
MB) Research
brief(287 KB)
Evaluation of Bridge Approach Settlement Mitigation Methods
0092-00-13, August 2008 Final
report(15.4
MB) Research
brief(471 KB)
Specification and Design of Fiber Reinforced Bridge Deck Forms for Use
on Wide Flange T-Girders
0092-06-07, July 2008 Final report(3.3
MB) Research
brief(281 KB)
Evaluation of Interlayer Bonding in HMA Pavements
0092-02-13, June 2008 Final report(1.0
MB) Research
brief(232 KB)
Portland Cement Concrete Pavements Over Rubblized PCC
0092-00-11, June 2008 Final report(1.8
MB) Research
brief(528 KB)
Effects of Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag in Portland Cement
Concrete-Expanded Study
0092-05-01, June 2008 Final
report(834 KB) Research
brief(228 KB)
Guidelines for Improving Full-Depth Repair of PCC Pavements in
Wisconsin
0092-07-03, May 2008 Final
report(1.9
MB) Research
brief(214 KB)
Investigation of Vertical Members to Resist Surficial Slope
Instabilities
0092-05-09, May 2008 Final
report(4.0
MB) Research
brief(236 KB)
Transportation Synthesis Reports
Transportation Synthesis Reports are quick-turnaround reports that capture recent research and best
practices on requested transportation topics. They help WisDOT staff learn
from the experiences of other state DOTs, avoid duplicating research,
identify new technologies and practices, make better investment decisions,
and monitor federal guidelines and key transportation trends. Request
a TSR anytime.
WisDOT is updating its bridge deck specifications to include admissible
alternatives to traditional wooden formwork. Building a concrete
bridge deck typically requires constructing temporary wooden shoring to
provide a foundation for the concrete slab as it hardens. The increased
use of long-lasting, wide-flanged concrete girders, which are very closely
spaced, makes installing this formwork difficult. Moreover, the process is
costly and time-consuming, and removing the wooden formwork after the
concrete has hardened is one of the most dangerous tasks in bridge
construction.
