Browsing by Author "University of Texas at El Paso. College of Engineering. Department of Civil Engineering"

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    A Multi-Objective Asset Management Approach to Evaluate Maintenance Strategies for Funding Allocation
    Chang, Carlos M.; Vavrova, Marketa; Smith, Roger E.; Tan, Sui G. (2015-05-19)
    Modern asset management aims to provide the user's expected level of service in the transportation infrastructure assets in the most cost-effective manner while also accounting for broader social and environmental impacts. The decision-making process is complex due to many potential conflicting goals that need to be balanced in the final solution. This paper describes a holistic multi-objective asset management approach to integrate environmental related measures with traditional performance measures. A robust framework for managing infrastructure assets is proposed for implementation, and a case study focused on asphalt concrete (AC) pavements demonstrates its applicability, evaluating various maintenance strategies from a multi-objective perspective. The case study shows that timely applied preservation leads to lower emissions and lower fuel consumption. In the example, savings estimates of 662,310,738 kg CO2 over a 20 year period that are equivalent to $31 million in social costs for a 940 mile network. By considering economic, environmental, and social impacts; the multi-objective asset management approach improves the decision making process and contribute to better balanced funding allocation decisions when developing maintenance strategies.
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    Use of High-Speed Deflection Devices in Network-Level PMS Applications: Are We Ready?
    Rada, Gonzalo R.; Nazarian, Soheil; Visintine, Beth A.; Siddharthan, Rajaratnam V.; Sivaneswaran, Nadarajah (2015-06-04)
    As highway agencies begin to consider structural adequacy as part of their routine pavement management activities by incorporating deflection testing, it is important to advance from falling weight deflectometers (FWDs) to a more viable alternative for network-level applications. The development of devices that measure pavement deflections at traffic speeds represents this viable alternative. The modern versions of the devices include the Greenwood Traffic Speed Deflectometer (TSD) and the Applied Research Associates, Inc. (ARA) Rolling Wheel Deflectometer (RWD), but are these devices ready for implementation? To answer this question, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) undertook a study whose objective was to establish a reliable measure of the structural condition of pavements as it deteriorates over time under traffic and environmental loading, based on deflection measurements taken at traffic speeds. As part of the study, a literature review was conducted and questionnaires were developed for and provided to device manufacturers, owners and users, which were then followed-up by interviews. Both devices were found to be viable, so a work plan was developed and implemented to evaluate them. The work plan included field-testing and analysis activities, but it purposely did not contemplate comparisons with Falling Weight deflectometers (FWDs). This paper presents the major findings, conclusions and recommendations from the project effort to date. The only remaining activity is the development of processes for incorporating pavement structural information within pavement management system (PMS) applications.