Focus Area: Infrastructure Maintenance and Materials

Two New Research Reports Released: Wool Reclamation Products and High Performance Concrete

Posted on December 19th, 2017

The Montana Department of Transportation has released the final reports for two projects by WTI researchers:

  • “Evaluation of Effectiveness and Cost-Benefits of Woolen Roadside Reclamation Products.” This research project developed three types of products for study: woolen erosion control blankets (ECBs), wool incorporated into wood fiber compost, and wool incorporated into silt fence. The project, supported by Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) and the Center for Environmentally Sustainable Transportation in Cold Climates, compared the wool products’ performance to roadside reclamation products commonly used for revegetating cut slopes. Rob Ament (P.I.) and Eli Cuelho served on the research team. The final report and project summary are available on the MDT website. Additional information and all of the reports related to this project are available on the WTI website.
  • “Feasibility of Non-Proprietary Ultra-High Performance Concrete (UHPC) for Use in Highway Bridges in Montana.” Ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) has mechanical and durability properties that far exceed those of conventional concrete. However, using UHPC in conventional concrete applications has been cost prohibitive, costing 20 times that of conventional concrete. The overall objective of the Phase I research was to develop and characterize economical non-proprietary UHPC mixes made with materials readily available in Montana. The research was led by Michael Berry. The final report and project summary are available on the MDT website and additional project information is available on the WTI website.

New Report on Prefabricated Bridge Decks

Posted on December 11th, 2017

The Montana Department of Transportation has released the final report for “Investigation of Prefabricated Steel Truss/Bridge Deck Systems,” a WTI and MSU Civil Engineering project led by Damon Fick, Tyler Kuehl, Michael Berry, and Jerry Stephens. The study evaluated a prototype of a welded steel truss constructed with an integral concrete deck, which has been proposed as a potential alternative for accelerated bridge construction (ABC) projects in Montana.  Steel truss bridges are relatively light weight compared with plate girder systems, which makes them a desirable alternative for both material savings and constructability. The full report and a summary report are available on the MDT website.  Additional project information is available on the WTI website.

Dates Announced for International Conference on Low Volume Roads

Posted on December 11th, 2017

WTI will host the 12th Transportation Research Board (TRB) International Conference on Low Volume Roads on September 15-18, 2019 in Kalispell, Montana. Sponsored by TRB, this conference examines new technologies and new techniques in the planning, design, construction, operation, maintenance, and administration of low-volume roads. Panelists will explore case studies and practical solutions to common problems related to all aspects of low-volume roads.  TRB, which is part of the National Academy of Sciences, announced the dates in its November 20 newsletter. For more information, contact Laura Fay at WTI or Nancy Whiting (nwhiting@nas.edu) at TRB.

Update:
We have created a Facebook group for family and guests of attendees in order to share information about activities in the area. Feel free to request to join the group.

 
Guests of Montana TRB Conference on Low Volume Roads
Closed group · 2 members

Join Group

 

New York Times Gives Shout Out to WTI’s Unpaved Roads Report

Posted on April 6th, 2017

Start spreading the news… Recently, the New York Times published a feature article titled “Omaha’s Answer to Potholes? Go Back to Gravel Roads,”describing cities that are choosing to maintain low usage streets in disrepair by converting them back to gravel roads as a lower-cost alternative to repaving. The article cites the NCHRP study on unpaved roads authored by WTI Program Manager Laura Fay, which documented similar conversions in 27 states across the country, as well as best practices for this type of road project.

WTI Selected to Host International Conference

Posted on March 7th, 2017

The Transportation Research Board (TRB) Low Volume Roads Committee has selected the Western Transportation Institute to host the 12th TRB International Conference on Low Volume Roads in Montana. WTI proposed the Flathead Valley of northwest Montana (Kalispell/Whitefish) as the venue for the Spring/Summer 2019 meeting, which will bring 150-300 participants and presenters to the area. The Flathead Valley provides an ideal location for conducting field tours of local low volume roads within a 30 minute drive, not to mention the proximity of Glacier National Park. Special thanks to the U.S. Forest Service (Flathead National Forest) and the Northwest Tribal Technical Assistance Program for their letters of support for the WTI application. There will be opportunities for WTI staff to assist during the event, as well as develop papers for publication and present at the conference, host booths (UTCs, Transcend, etc.), and more, so stay tuned for more information.

MDT Highlights WTI Research Projects

Posted on February 22nd, 2017

The Montana Department of Transportation selected multiple MDT/WTI collaborative research projects to highlight in its Winter 2017 Research Newsletter.  Eli Cuelho’s project to develop a standard specification for a new gravel base course design was featured on the front page (“Development of a ¾-inch Minus Base Course Type A Specification for Montana”).  The newsletter also provides an update on the Traffic Safety Culture Transportation Pooled Fund, which is a joint effort by the Center for Health and Safety Culture, WTI, MDT and nine other states.  In addition, there is a feature article about one of the Pooled Fund projects (“An Assessment of Traffic Safety Culture Related to Driving After Cannabis Use”), a study conducted by Nic Ward, Jay Otto, Kari Finley, and Kelly Green. To read the full issue of MDT’s newsletter “Solutions,” click here.

Stateline Highlights Unpaved Roads Research

Posted on January 23rd, 2017

Stateline, a national website covering trends in state policy, published a feature story on a recent WTI project on the pros, cons, and costs of converting low-volume paved roads to unpaved roads. In “Dirt Roads Help Some Cities, Counties Drive Down Costs,” Stateline interviewed Principal Investigator Laura Fay about her research for the National Cooperative Highway Research Program, which sought to explore how commonly and under what conditions transportation agencies are converting paved roads to unpaved roads. Through a national survey, the project identified 48 agencies that have completed conversions, 70 conversion projects, and 550 miles of converted roadway. Click here to read the Stateline article.

WTI at TRB 2017

Posted on January 10th, 2017


Thanks to the WTI staff members who shared photos from the Transportation Research Board (TRB) Annual Meeting, held in Washington, D.C. last week. Numerous staff facilitated workshops, presented their research, or submitted posters.

Natalie Villwock-Witte presided over a TRB session on “Workforce, Millennials, and the Implications of Baby Boomer Retirement.” Session presenters included (from left to right): Dr. Stephanie Ivey (Associate Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, University of Memphis), Joan M. McDonald (most recently former New York State Department of Transportation Commissioner), Natalie, and Yvonne Lopez-Diaz (Human Resources Director and Vice President at HNTB).


Alex Roy (left)  and Dan Brooks (right) present posters on alternative transportation on federal lands. Alex and Dan are Transportation Scholars through the Public Lands Transportation Institute.

View Alex’s Poster Alex Roy_TRB Poster-Parking AlternativesL

View Dan’s PosterDan Brooks_TRB Poster-Reducing Barriers to ATS