A bird's-eye view of a typical rural travel-time monitoring installation mounted on a luminaire pole.

The above series of images depicts the creation of the river meander lab, which helps researchers predict changes in a river's path.

The Visibility Research Laboratory features a 125-foot-long corridor, which is used to test materials for traffic signs and pavement markings. The facility also has capabilities to measure vehicle headlamps, sign lighting and roadway lighting.

by Dennis Christiansen

“Development of Decision-Making Support Tools for Early Right of Way Acquisitions,” by Paul Krugler, 0-5534-2, May 10, 2010.

“Development of the Texas Revenue Estimator and Needs Determination System (T.R.E.N.D.S.) Model,” by David Ellis, 0-6395-TI-1, May 12, 2010.

“Evaluation of Barriers for Very High Speed Roadways,” by Roger Bligh, 0-6071-2, March 26, 2010.

“Guidelines for Signal Operations at Intersections with Wide Medians,” by Srinivasa Sunkari, 0-6176-1, March 23, 2010.

“Guidelines for Spacing between Freeway Ramps,” by Kay Fitzpatrick, 0-5860-1, April 8, 2010.

“Guidelines for the Use of Pavement Marking Symbols at Freeway Interchanges: Final Report,” by Brooke Ullman, 0-5890-1, April 26, 2010.

“Integrating the Transportation System with a University Campus Transportation Master Plan: A Case Study,” by Rafael Aldrete-Sanchez, 0-6608-2, April 26, 2010.

“New Generation Mix Designs: Laboratory Testing and Construction of the APT Test Sections,” by Lubinda Walubita, 0-6132-1, April 6, 2010.

“Preserving the Functionality/Asset Value of the State Highway System: Technical Report,” by Ed Hard, 0-6208-1, March 15, 2010.

“Roadside Sediment Control Device Evaluation Program: Technical Report,” by Jett McFalls, 0-5948-1, April 8, 2010.

“Seal Coat Damage Evaluation Due to Superheavy Load Moves Based on a Mechanistic-Empirical Approach,” by Jeongho Oh, 0-5270-1, April 8, 2010.

“Site Specific Wave Parameters for Texas Coastal Bridges: Final Report,” by Jun Jin, 0-6063-1, May 7, 2010.

“Synthesis of Current Research on Permeable Friction Courses: Performance, Design, Construction, and Maintenance,” by Kai-Wei Liu, 0-5836-1, March 17, 2010.

“Water Retention Techniques for Vegetation Establishment in TxDOT West Texas Districts,” by Jett McFalls, 0-5748-1, April 6, 2010.

“Internal Trip Capture Estimator for Mixed-Use Developments,” by Brian Bochner, 5-9032-01-1, April 6, 2010.

“Platoon Identification and Accommodation System Implementation in Brownwood and Caldwell, Texas,” by Nadeem Chaudhary, 5-5507-01-1, March 29, 2010.

“Potential Development of an Intercity Passenger Transit System in Texas: GIS Maps,” by Curtis Morgan, 0-5930-P2, April 9, 2010.

“Potential Development of an Intercity Passenger Transit System in Texas ‘ Final Project Report,” by Curtis Morgan, 0-5930-2, May 17, 2010.

Products

“Alternative Pavement Design Analysis Tool (APDAT),” by Carlos Chang-Albitres, 0-6085-P1, March 25, 2010.

“Guidebook on Preserving the Functionality of State Highways in Texas,” by Ed Hard, 0-6208-P1, May 7, 2010.

“Handbook: Guidelines for Successful Location and Accommodation of Major Distribution Centers on Texas Highways,” by Brian Bochner, 0-5335-P1, April 27, 2010.

“Integrating the Transportation System with a University Transportation Master Plan,” by Rafael Sanchez, 0-6608-P2, April 2, 2010.

“Internal Trip Capture Estimator,” by Brian Bochner, 5-9032-01-P1, April 6, 2010.

“PIA System Installation and User Guide: 2009 Update,” by Hassan Charara, 5-5507-01-P3, April 20, 2010.

“PIA System Software Version 2.2,” by Nadeem Chaudhary, 5-5507-01-P2, April 16, 2010.

“RAP Workshops,” by Fujie Zhou, 0-6092-P1, April 9, 2010.

“Site Specific Wave Parameters for Texas Coastal Bridges: Software,” by Jun Jin, 0-5335-P3, April 28, 2010.

“Teaming for Success ‘ TxDOT Is Here to Help,” by Brian Bochner, 0-5840-P1, April 20, 2010.

“TxDOT Can Help Pave the Way for Distribution Centers,” by Brian Bochner, 0-5335-P2, April 16, 2010.

“Video Library for Video Imaging Detection at Intersection Stop Lines,” by Dan Middleton, 0-6030-P1, April 30, 2010.

TTI Publications

A full catalog of TTI publications and other products is online at http://tti.tamu.edu/publications. You can find the publications by searching for either the title or publication number listed here. Most of these publications are available as free downloads in portable document format (PDF).

Printed, bound versions of these reports are also available through the URL above.

Representatives from IBM, TTI and The Texas A&M University System gather for a picture during the signing of the MOU April 1.

In a collaboration that could lead to future transportation improvements in Texas and around the globe, leaders from the Texas Transportation Institute (TTI) and IBM signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) during a ceremony in Austin April 1.

“This agreement is a starting point that allows us to take university-based research across the world in partnership with a highly regarded organization,” Agency Director Dennis Christiansen said at the ceremony, which was held at IBM’s Austin facilities. “We’re excited about this; the possibilities for working together are unlimited.”

Christiansen and Texas A&M University System Chancellor Mike McKinney signed the agreement alongside executives from IBM.

Known as the world’s biggest technology company, IBM employs more than 400,000 people and conducts research at eight laboratories worldwide, including its facility in Austin. IBM holds more patents than any other U.S.-based technology company.

The non-binding collaboration combines the efforts of both parties in exploring technological advancements in the area of intelligent transportation solutions. The parties will work together on data fusion and integration, accident prevention, environmental protection, travel-time reliability, traffic prediction and technologies for mobile computing.

“TTI‘s credibility in transportation research, coupled with IBM’s global reach and investment in smarter planet solutions, are an ideal combination to work collaboratively on worldwide transportation issues,” John Drewry, IBM Corporation client executive, said regarding the affiliation. “Going forward, we will be working together to proactively secure government funding to pursue joint research programs, create technology breakthroughs via TTI, IBM research and academic partners, including the incubation and piloting of promising technologies in the real world.”

IBM executives and managers from across the country attended the ceremony. TTI attendees included Ginger Goodin, manager of TTI‘s Austin Office; Associate Director Ed Seymour; and Assistant Director Christopher Poe. Texas A&M University System Vice Chancellor for Federal Relations and Commercialization Guy Diedrich was also present.

“I am excited about the future,” McKinney said at the signing ceremony. “Despite being known for our traditions, the A&M System and TTI‘s research programs are focused on the future. We are looking forward to working collaboratively and creatively with IBM researchers in supplying benefits to the people of Texas and the rest of the world.”

Christiansen Receives Prestigious ITE Honor

ITE International Vice President Robert Wunderlich congratulates Dennis Christiansen after presenting him with ITE's 77th honorary membership.

In its highest recognition of notable and outstanding professional achievement, the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) awarded Texas Transportation Institute (TTI) Agency Director Dennis Christiansen with honorary membership. Christiansen becomes ITE‘s 77th Honorary Member.

“Dr. Christiansen has demonstrated his leadership and dedication to the transportation profession as a former Texas District director on ITE‘s Board of Direction and as a past international president,” ITE International Vice President Robert C. Wunderlich said during the ceremony.

“Dr. Christiansen’s research findings and those of TTI continue to improve the quality of life in Texas, the United States and throughout the world,” Wunderlich, who began his career at TTI, said. “Thanks to this work, our roadways are safer, more efficient, more sustainable and better able to meet the needs of all users.”

Christiansen has extensive research experience in several areas, including traffic operations and transportation planning, and is an international expert in high-occupancy vehicle lanes.

Preventable Traffic Deaths Examined at CTS Conference

Laura Dean-Mooney, national president of MADD, gives a presentation on impaired driving.

Several speakers at the 2010 Traffic Safety Conference shared the tragedy of losing a loved one with the 200 people attending the second statewide forum organized by the Texas Transportation Institute’s (TTI‘s) Center for Transportation Safety (CTS). The conference, with the theme “Putting the Pieces Together,” was held in Dallas March 29-31.

“One of the things that struck me in this conference is how easy it is to talk about over 35,000 lives lost [the number of U.S. traffic fatalities in 2008],” said Agency Director Dennis Christiansen. “But the number of people we had at the conference who had the personal experience of loss in their family puts a very human face on this.”

Christiansen moderated the final session of the conference, which touched upon distracted driving, motorcycle safety, changing the driving culture, wrong-way driving, red-light cameras and — the subject that seemed to dominate the discussion — drunk or impaired driving.

“My husband was killed by a wrong-way, impaired driver in 1991 about 15 miles from here,” Laura Dean-Mooney, the national president of Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), told the attendees. “This is the reason I came to MADD and the reason I continue to do what I do…so other families don’t get impacted like mine was.” According to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, impaired driving accounted for almost 40 percent of the total 2008 Texas fatalities.

TTI Associate Research Scientist Patty Turner talks to conference participants.

“It’s an embarrassing thing to think we have so many fatalities related to DWI and at the same time knowing there is a remedy to this…but we are not willing to take the steps necessary to correct it,” State Sen. John Carona said during the round-table discussion about sobriety checkpoints. “This [legislation allowing Texas to conduct them] is long overdue.”

Speakers said that sobriety checkpoints could save an estimated 400 lives each year in Texas through deterrence.

“It’s quite offensive to me that the failure of state lawmakers to act prevents local communities from doing what we know works better than any other law enforcement tool in saving lives,” State Rep. Todd Smith said during the conference. Smith has repeatedly authored legislation to allow checkpoints, but the bills never make it out of committee for a vote. “We have a lot of people in this state who believe there is a right to drive while drinking. I don’t know how to explain that.”

The Traffic Safety Conference brought together traffic experts, policymakers, law enforcement and researchers with “a common interest in traffic safety but [who] bring very different approaches, skills, information and tools to solve the puzzle that is traffic safety,” Christiansen said.

The ultimate goal of the forum was to share the latest information about what is killing and injuring motorists in Texas and ways to reduce those numbers.

House Transportation Committee Vice Chairman Rep. Larry Phillips lost a college roommate in a traffic crash. “We have got to work together to change the culture of safety in Texas,” he said during the conference. “It’s a huge task. We’ve got to start sometime. How about now?”

CTS Advisory Council Meets in College Station

Advisory council members of the Texas Transportation Institute’s (TTI‘s) Center for Transportation Safety (CTS) were briefed on current efforts, past accomplishments and future initiatives during their all-day meeting at the Gibb Gilchrist Building Feb. 3. “You are essential to what we do,” Agency Director Dennis Christiansen told the members. “It’s important that we get your guidance and input.”

The 10 CTS Advisory Council members meet every 18 months. They represent law enforcement, public health, state and federal government, municipalities, insurance agencies, transportation engineering and education. Their expertise in various fields helps direct the center’s actions.

CTS Director John Mounce provided the members with an overview of the center including its history, current and past activities, staff and structure. “The Safety Center’s mission is to effect a reduction in travel fatalities and injuries sustained by motorists on Texas highways and serve as a focal point for research, education and collaboration to achieve that goal,” he said. “There has been a declining number of fatal traffic crashes in Texas since the inception of the Safety Center.”

Mounce told the members that the center’s current initiatives involve traffic law enforcement, vulnerable road users, distracted driving, changing the traffic safety culture and implementation of highway safety corridors.

Transportation Hall of Honor Inducts Port Pioneer

Pictured at the induction ceremony for Frank Newnam are (left to right) LAN President Dennis Peterson, sons of the honoree Albert Newnam and John Newnam, and TTI Agency Director Dennis Christiansen.

A man responsible for the development of the Texas port system has been posthumously inducted into the Texas Transportation Hall of Honor as its 31st member. The Texas Transportation Institute (TTI) established the Hall of Honor in 2000 as a way to recognize the state’s leaders in transportation.

The children of Frank H. Newnam, Jr., were presented the award during the 75th anniversary celebration of Lockwood, Andrews and Newnam, Inc. (LAN), a Houston-based engineering firm in which Newnam was a partner.

“The TTI Hall of Honor Board is pleased to honor Frank Newnam, who is the epitome of a Texas transportation pioneer,” said Agency Director Dennis Christiansen. “During his 28-year career at LAN, he developed the original Port of Houston master plan, master plans for other major ports in Texas and the first master plan for the George Bush Intercontinental Airport. His significant contributions have shaped multiple modes of travel throughout our state.”

Newnam was a 1931 graduate of Texas A&M University, where he was enrolled in the ROTC program. He spent 10 years with the Texas Highway Department before being called into active duty with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in the China Theater.

After retiring from the Corps of Engineers in 1946, Newnam joined the engineering firm of Lockwood and Andrews and became a company partner. Through his work, Newnam streamlined and modernized the shipment of goods and services at Texas ports.

“On behalf of Lockwood, Andrews and Newnam, we are proud to accept this prestigious award from TTI honoring one of our founders,” said LAN President Dennis Petersen. “His accomplishments and leadership formed a solid foundation for the firm, which we continue to build on today. It was doubly rewarding that we could celebrate the award and LAN‘s 75th anniversary at the same event.”

Newnam’s granddaughter spoke at the ceremony. “Frank (grandpa) was a down-to-earth man — well spoken, understated, articulate and funny,” she said. “Thank you, TTI, for recognizing his talents and gifts as an engineer. He never needed awards or looked for them, but would surely have appreciated this type of recognition from the state he so dearly loved, Texas.”

Reiley Retires, Is Recognized for Service

Pictured with Reiley are (left to right) G. Kemble Bennett, vice chancellor and dean of engineering; TEEX Director Gary Sera; and TTI Agency Director Dennis Christiansen.

Cathy M. Reiley, associate vice chancellor for external relations and Regents Fellow, was honored for 18 years of service to the Texas A&M Engineering Program during her retirement ceremony May 13.

In her position, she represented the Texas Transportation Institute (TTI), the Texas Engineering Experiment Station (TEES), the Texas Engineering Extension Service (TEEX) and the Texas A&M University Dwight Look College of Engineering in state and federal relations.

In addition to representing TTI in the state and federal legislative arenas and following transportation-related legislation affecting the Institute, Reiley played a key role in obtaining funding for all of TTI‘s state exceptional items. She was instrumental in the creation of the Center for Transportation Safety, Center for Ports and Waterways, Strategic Transportation Solutions Center and Center for International Intelligent Transportation Research in El Paso, Texas.

“Cathy has exemplified class and professionalism in leading the Institute’s legislative efforts, and we will sorely miss her insightful and steady guidance over many years,” said Dennis Christiansen, TTI agency director. “Her understanding of the political process, keen judgment and excellent decision making are unmatched in her profession. We owe her a great debt of gratitude for all she has done to move TTI forward.”

Reiley’s many accomplishments include securing $1 million in state matching funds for the Southwest University Transportation Center, a transportation research and education consortium with TTI as the lead institution. Other consortium partners are The University of Texas at Austin and Texas Southern University.

By Charles J. Keese
(Excerpted from Bulletin No. 130, Texas Highway Department, March 1953)

“PAINT IS THE STRIPING MATERIAL FOR THOUSANDS OF MILES OF STREETS AND HIGHWAYS. However, its resistance to wear and weathering is so poor, that frequent maintenance of stripes is necessary. Such maintenance is costly.

Recent experimentation has produced an easily applied plastic road marking material of good durability.

It is rosin-alkyd resin which can be compounded in either white or yellow color and applied to pavement in hot-melt form. Preliminary tests have indicated a service life of several times that of standard paints on both asphalt and concrete pavements.

Highway technologists have expressed such keen interest in the material that specifications are being made available in this publication. Trade names are mentioned only as necessary to identify ingredients.

It is hoped such information shall be useful in providing greater serviceability from our streets and highways while at the same time reducing striping maintenance costs.”

A forerunner of today's automated striping machinery, the hand-powered machine was used for laying the hot-melt plastic paint stripe. It consisted of a tricycle cart, gasoline heating unit, oil-bath kettle, metal screed box (held firmly to the pavement by springs) and a wooden attachment for applying reflectorizing beads.

The thermoplastic pavement striper was invented at the Texas Transportation Institute (TTI) in the early 1950s. Jack Keese and his research team employed an innovative use of sulphur and heat with the paint.

A few years ago, though, TxDOT began to notice an increased number of RRPM failures such as poor retention on pavements, physical damage and loss of retroreflectivity. In some cases, mass failures occurred when an entire section of RRPMs disappeared only weeks after installation. In response to this problem, the Texas Transportation Institute (TTI) began to research the causes of premature RRPM failures.

“All the markers that TxDOT was using met the requirements set by ASTM specifications,” says Yunlong Zhang, TTI assistant research scientist and research supervisor “However, RRPMs‘ performance varied significantly, and the results from existing testing methods also did not correlate with field performance. We were asked to identify or develop new lab testing methods that would help us to more accurately predict marker performance in the field.”

Over a three-year period, researchers conducted multiple tasks that included lab and field tests, as well as surveying TxDOT districts and RRPM manufacturers to gather information on existing test procedures and marker field performance.

“For two years we monitored four test deck locations that were selected based on traffic condition and pavement type,” says Zhang. “For example, one of our test decks was on the 610 Loop in Houston, which is a very high-volume concrete roadway. We also had a test deck on a low-volume road with a flexible pavement surface. The goal was to get a wide range of test data in different scenarios.”

This pavement marker shows several failures on the shell. These failures could be caused by something as simple as a stone wedged in the tire tread of a vehicle.

The research yielded several important findings with respect to RRPM performance and testing methods:

• Performance of RRPM products has a wide range and depends on traffic volume, truck traffic and pavement surface type.
• Retroflectivity degrading is directly related to average daily traffic.
• High truck traffic significantly accelerates marker physical damage.
• Marker retention is directly related to installation quality.
• Current testing methods were inadequate and cannot predict field performance of the markers.

Another important finding was that the results from the developed pendulum impact test (see below) had a sound correlation with that of field performance, giving TxDOT a proven marker quality-control tool.

“RRPM failures are not only a public safety issue, but also expensive when you take into consideration having to close the roads for repairs,” says Zhang. “With the results of this research, we were able to recommend that TxDOT emphasize the quality of RRPM installation since we found it directly relates to performance in the field. And TxDOT is also now able to better predict the life expectancy of these markers for all types of roadways and traffic volumes.”

“The researchers did a great job of modeling the forces on a pavement marker from vehicular impact. This was cutting-edge work,” said Darren Hazlett, with the Construction Division at TxDOT and project director. “They also produced a pendulum impact test that could be used to test markers and have transferred this test equipment to us.”

Pendulum Impact Test

During the project, the team discovered that many of the failures of retroreflective raised pavement markers (RRPMs) began with the fracture of the outside shell. These failures could be caused by something as simple as a stone wedged in the tire tread of a vehicle. Consequently, failure occurred due to the impact of a hard small object with the surface of the RRPM.

“What we needed was a testing procedure that evaluated the ability of the RRPMs to absorb energy-of-impact type loading,” says Yunlong Zhang, research supervisor. “Since there was nothing that existed, we designed and fabricated the pendulum impact test device.”

The pendulum impact device is a nifty piece of equipment that allows users to test the durability of the RRPM outer shell using different weights. The RRPM is clipped into place, and a weighted arm swings down and impacts the marker. Different weights can be added to the end of the pendulum arm to increase the force exerted on the marker at impact. The marker support is adjustable, so four different impact points can be tested to give a full evaluation.

“We tested six RRPMs with this device using all six weight configurations at each of the four impact positions,” says Zhang. “Using this device to test markers before they are installed will give TxDOT a better idea of the durability and performance they can expect, particularly in high-traffic areas.”

For more information:

Publications:

0-5089-1: “Development of Measures to Improve Field Performance of Retroreflective Raised Pavement Markers”

0-5089-S: “Raised Pavement Marker Improvements”