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  Materials and Construction »

  Enabling expanded use of recycled materials in asphalt pavement

  Idea Submitted by:

  Xianming Shi, PhD, PE

  List your MnDOT Office,District,City, County, Univ. or Other:

  MnDOT Office

  The goal of this project is to improve the cost-effectiveness of “green” asphalt binders suitable for MNDOT AC pavements. To this end, the objectives include: 1) Developing a high-performance, environmentally-friendly asphalt binder that incorporates relatively high amounts of crumb rubber (using the “wet” process) and recycled binder (aged binders from reclaimed asphalt pavement in the State of Minnesota). 2) Enhancing ...more »

  The goal of this project is to improve the cost-effectiveness of “green” asphalt binders suitable for MNDOT AC pavements. To this end, the objectives include: 1) Developing a high-performance, environmentally-friendly asphalt binder that incorporates relatively high amounts of crumb rubber (using the “wet” process) and recycled binder (aged binders from reclaimed asphalt pavement in the State of Minnesota). 2) Enhancing the “green” asphalt binders by the addition of relatively small amounts of nano-sized materials. The cost–effectiveness of the asphalt binder design will be optimized through the use of statistical experimental design and neural network modeling, considering the multiple performance goals of the binder.

  We aim to demonstrate the performance enhancement of nanomaterial-doped “green” asphalt. We will also obtain an improved understanding of how various mix design parameters affect the asphalt binder or mixture performance and their inter-relations and what are the optimal type and dosage of crumb rubber, RAP, nanomaterials, etc. in terms of a specific performance attribute (e.g., resistance to moisture damage) for this novel type of asphalt binder.

  To facilitate the technology transition into practice and to realize the substantial economic and environmental benefits inherent in this technology, we will work closely with MNDOT end users and other stakeholders to produce findings that can be readily implemented, utilized, or applied.

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  Submitted by xianming Shi 1 day ago

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  Materials and Construction »

  Surface Treatments for Ice-Prone Locations

  Idea Submitted by:

  Xianming Shi, PhD, PE

  List your MnDOT Office,District,City, County, Univ. or Other:

  MnDOT Office

  This project aims to explore and improve pavement treatments (e.g., high friction polymer overlay surface treatment) for accident-prone locations in Minnesota, so as to deliver methods that prevent dangerous road and bridge icing while minimizing the damaging effects of deicing chemicals. The tasks in Phase I will include: - a survey of current practices (including previous research efforts in the evaluation of SafeLane ...more »

  This project aims to explore and improve pavement treatments (e.g., high friction polymer overlay surface treatment) for accident-prone locations in Minnesota, so as to deliver methods that prevent dangerous road and bridge icing while minimizing the damaging effects of deicing chemicals.

  The tasks in Phase I will include:

  - a survey of current practices (including previous research efforts in the evaluation of SafeLane and other products);

  - laboratory evaluation of various pavement treatment products for their anti-icing performance & skid resistance/effectiveness in reducing chloride ingress/strength/durability; and

  - exploration of potential improvements.

  The tasks in Phase II will include:

  - field installation/demonstration and safety evaluation at select Minnesota highway locations;

  - cost-benefit analysis; and

  - preparation of implementation guidelines.

  The research will provide data analysis and information for developing MNDOT policy and practice on the use of pavement/deck treatments for key highway locations prone to ice formation during winter weather. The research findings may enable MNDOT maintenance engineers to modify their approach to winter highway maintenance at key locations as well.

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  Submitted by xianming Shi 1 day ago

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  Maintenance, Operations and Security »

  A Reliable and Low-Cost FAST System for Critical Locations

  Idea Submitted by:

  Xianming Shi, PhD, PE

  List your MnDOT Office,District,City, County, Univ. or Other:

  MnDOT Office

  In the proposed system, real-time data of a critical location’s surface condition are collected by wireless sensors and transmitted to a central server via Internet or cellular networks. A maintenance engineer will be alerted when certain parameters reach the pre-determined thresholds. Instead of relying on sensors, the engineer makes decisions of spraying or not spraying. If the spraying action is made, an instruction ...more »

  In the proposed system, real-time data of a critical location’s surface condition are collected by wireless sensors and transmitted to a central server via Internet or cellular networks. A maintenance engineer will be alerted when certain parameters reach the pre-determined thresholds. Instead of relying on sensors, the engineer makes decisions of spraying or not spraying. If the spraying action is made, an instruction will then be transmitted to the site and actives the spray nozzles.

  The tasks in Phase I will include:

  1) A survey of current practices, followed by the laboratory evaluation of various Zigbee-based solar-powered sensor products for their performances in data collection, wireless transmission, durability, power operation and management.

  2) Determination and evaluation of the appropriate types of data (e.g., temperature, humidity, conductivity, and light) which provides the best decision support for anti-icing.

  3) Development and evaluation of the algorithms of processing real-time raw data and deciding whether to alert maintenance engineers, when to spray and how much.

  4) Development of a Graphic User Interface (GUI) on central server to display the real-time conditions of the critical location and relevant decision support data.

  The tasks in Phase II will include field installation/demonstration and safety evaluation at selected bridges, followed by cost-benefit analysis and preparation of implementation guidelines.

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  Submitted by xianming Shi 1 day ago

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  Bridge and Structures »

  Advanced Life Extension Technology for RC Structures

  Idea Submitted by:

  Xianming Shi, PhD, PE

  List your MnDOT Office,District,City, County, Univ. or Other:

  MnDOT Office

  Previous research indicated that once chloride-induced corrosion of the reinforcing steel was initiated in the concrete structure, the only effective means to stop corrosion was the electrochemical methods such as cathodic protection (CP) and electrochemical chloride extraction (ECE). Both methods are costly to implement, while their benefits to the performance and service life of reinforced concrete could be substantial. ...more »

  Previous research indicated that once chloride-induced corrosion of the reinforcing steel was initiated in the concrete structure, the only effective means to stop corrosion was the electrochemical methods such as cathodic protection (CP) and electrochemical chloride extraction (ECE). Both methods are costly to implement, while their benefits to the performance and service life of reinforced concrete could be substantial. CP requires system maintenance and eventual anode replacement, while ECE significantly extends the service life of a salt-contaminated concrete structure with a one-time application.

  The objective of the proposed research is to determine whether an enhanced ECE method would provide significant cost savings in preventing corrosion in MNDOT reinforced concrete bridges.

  Laboratory experiments will be done to determine the feasibility of combining ECE with cation injection. If shown to be feasible, a method for carrying out enhanced ECE in the field will be developed. A field evaluation will be conducted on a MNDOT bridge deck exhibiting chloride-induced rebar corrosion. Evaluations for the field trial will include coring concrete samples before and after the electrochemical treatment for analysis of concrete microstructure and chemistry (including species concentration profiles), monitoring the corrosion behavior of rebars in the treated concrete, and predicting the beneficial life of the treatment with the aid of a finite element method-based model. The research will conduct a cost comparison of CP and ECE under Minnesota conditions. The threshold reapplication period that would make ECE cost-effective compared to CP will be determined.

  Depending on the MNDOT needs identified through the collaboration with the Research Advisory Committee, the scope of the project will be fine-tuned and a phased approach may be taken to conduct this research.

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  Submitted by xianming Shi 1 day ago

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  Maintenance, Operations and Security »

  Pavement Patching

  Idea Submitted by:

  Duane Hill

  List your MnDOT Office,District,City, County, Univ. or Other:

  MnDOT

  Some of the bigger picture research topics for pavement patching that we discussed include: · Develop a mission, vision and direction for the research and possibly review it with the smooth roads committee that is being developed. · Complete a summary of pavement patching tools and techniques that identifies which to use on what type of pavement defect. · Identify some information about productivity and cost in various ...more »

  Some of the bigger picture research topics for pavement patching that we discussed include:

  · Develop a mission, vision and direction for the research and possibly review it with the

  smooth roads committee that is being developed.

  · Complete a summary of pavement patching tools and techniques that identifies which to

  use on what type of pavement defect.

  · Identify some information about productivity and cost in various traffic settings for each

  method.

  · Complete a short, medium and long term method and product evaluation to determine

  effectiveness.

  · Develop a standard method for review of new products.

  · Develop a standard procedure for implementation of each method or product and

  document in a way that the information can easily be shared.

  · Develop a standard method of cost evaluation that considers traffic control, crew size,

  durability, material cost and productivity.

  · · Share this information with Mn/DOT and local government.

  There will be a pavement patching demo day in Distirct One in September 2012.

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  Submitted by duane.hill 1 day ago

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  Traffic and Safety »

  Event Ped Safety and Protected/Permissive Left Turn Phasing

  Idea Submitted by:

  Alan Rindels

  List your MnDOT Office,District,City, County, Univ. or Other:

  Research Services

  In Bloomington Flashing Yellow Arrows are being installed on Old Shakopee Road next summer. There are pedestrian destinations (resteraunts and bars across from Dred Scott Play Fields where many youth, adult sports activites occur. What is the consequence of using these new signal heads at these interesections. Will pedestrian safety decrease, should the City use protected signal phasing in these situations?

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  Submitted by alan.rindels 13 days ago

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