There are many different companies that use various types of road mapping hardware/software for their respective purposes. This technology could be utilized for multiple purposes that would benefit both the DOT and the public. All of these purposes would be achieved by the creation of a Virtual Reality State Highway System (VRSHS). I propose that the NJDOT contract with one of these companies to utilize their technology, ...more »
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Several months ago, the main span of the Florida International University (FIU) pedestrian bridge collapsed during construction. The bridge was designed as a signature structure in the City. Accelerated Bridge Construction (ABC) technique was implemented in the construction. An investigation on the collapse is being led by the NTSB and supported by multiple agencies, such as FHWA. Preliminary investigation reports indicate ...more »
Recently, ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC) has been introduced which has much higher mechanical properties and toughness than high-performance concrete (HPC). UHPC is typically a micro-mortar reinforced with micro fibers resulting in extremely impermeable and crack-resistant material. Such material can be used to produce precast panels that can be assembled on-site as stay-in-place (SIP) panels for the construction ...more »
The use of high-performance concrete (HPC) in bridge deck and pavement is increasing because of its enhanced durability and longer service life. The mixture design of HPC involves the use of relatively low water-to-binder ratio (w/b), supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs), and chemical admixtures. Securing high durability necessitates proper curing of the HPC to ensure adequate hydration of the cementitious system. ...more »
Constructability, strength, ductility and durability are crucial properties for development of materials for infrastructure rehabilitation. Constructability should allow ease of mixing, placing, and curing of rehabilitation application. High-strength can facilitate the small volume of repair materials to provide enough strength falling in safety margins (particularly in compression) of structures. High ductility can prevent ...more »
While steel girders have a lot of advantages and are widely used in transportation infrastructure, welded joints in the steel girders under cyclic loading are subjected to fatigue cracks, which can significantly compromise the service life of the steel girders. Recently, two innovative approaches have been presented to improve the fatigue resistance of welded joints. The first approach is to use locally-thickened steel ...more »
Concrete-steel composite girders combine the advantages of concrete and steel and have been used in a number of bridges worldwide. However, concrete cracking and shear connector damages affect the long-term durability of the conventional concrete-steel composite girders. In recent years, high-performance fiber-reinforced cementitious composites (HPFRCC) that have high mechanical strength, crack resistance, workability, ...more »
Strain-hardening cementitious composites (SHCC) is a family of high-performance fiber-reinforced cementitious composites that have high tensile ductility and multiple cracking behavior in tension. Compared with normal concrete, the tensile ductility of SHCC is typically 300-500 times higher. Cracked SHCC has retained resistance to tension, and generates densely-distributed microcracks rather than a limited number of wide ...more »
Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have shown great potential for health monitoring of civil infrastructure. UAV provides a platform to seamlessly integrate advanced sensing, communication, and machine learning for structural health monitoring. For example, UAV carrying a camera has been used to image damages in bridges, in particular, for the locations where people have limited access, such as the bottom of the bridge deck ...more »
Weather events such as precipitation, snow, and extreme temperatures reduce roadway capacity and escalate crash risk due to slick pavement. Currently NJDOT uses weather forecast and Road Weather Information System (RWIS) to make decisions on anti-icing and deicing treatments. The maintenance of RWIS stations are costly and only limited stations exist in NJ. However, road surface temperature and condition may vary significantly ...more »
American Community Survey data (2015) shows that over ten percent of New Jersey's population has one or more disabilities, with increased prevalence rates for certain disabilities in recent years. For example, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) estimate that New Jersey has the highest rate of Autism Spectrum Disorder of any state in the nation, with one in every 41 NJ children affected with ASD. Protecting these often ...more »
Given the significant savings in fuel consumption (due to improved air dynamics) and the relatively simple control schemes required (compared to other autonomous vehicle scenarios) truck platooning is expected to be one of the first applications of autonomous vehicles. Although much work is ongoing in the realm of control schemes, communication protocols, signage, driver training, and policy, little (if any) attention ...more »
In cases when a bridge cannot be easily rated using simplified analytical procedures or due to a lack of information, transportation agencies will often opt to rate the bridge using field assessment and engineering judgement. Given the potential for unreliable ratings, there is a desire to both minimize the use of this rating practice and to develop a more formal and reliable methodology to guide such ratings when no ...more »
New Jersey has the third-most movable bridges of the 50 states, with an average age of approximately 40 years and more than 50% of these bridges are structurally deficient mainly due to their bridge decks. Moreover, many of these bridges, whether state or locally owned, are subjected to significant amounts of average daily truck traffic (ADTT). Because of their condition and their location on significant commerce routes ...more »