NJ Transportation Research Ideas Capital Improvement & Infrastructure

Construct Scales or WIM(each with license plate photo capabilities) at bridges with toll booths/EZ-Pass. Generate tickets for those trucks using the bridge that are overweight.

In the last twenty years, I have personally driven over five hundred thousand miles. In that time I have seen many new pavement projects constructed in many different areas. There is one thing that I have personally witnessed on many occasions when those construction projects fail prematurely. Areas where Tack coat should have been used has failed. Some examples are the following. Within two to three years after construction,... more »

Civil infrastructure is vital to economic development and critical to response and recovery after extreme events. However, they are also quite vulnerable to natural and man-made hazards such as flooding, earthquakes, storm surge, fire and terrorist threats; especially highway bridges. Therefore, there is a need to move toward multi-hazard deign of bridges.

Multi-hazard approach to design of structures will require emphasis... more »

With most of the State's infrastructure in need of maintenance and repair, a main cause particularly on steel structures is corrosion. Corrosion which acts in several different forms results in section loss, which reduces capacity of the affected member. To better service the transportation industry, samples should be taken from bridges near or at the end of its useful service life and compare its as-inspected measurements... more »

The State of New Jersey has independently joined the Paris Climate Accords and uphold the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement. Per this agreement, an overall carbon reduction of 14% needs to be achieved within the United States. Concrete is responsible for around 8% of the world's CO2 production, mainly due to the production of portland cement. Therefore, finding methods to reduce the carbon footprint of concrete can... more »

As a part of the ongoing Pulaski Skyway Rehabilitation project, one of the tasks include the rehabilitation of a traditional railroad style truss expansion device similar in function to the more commonly known pin and hanger mechanism, referred to in the original plans as 'Rocker Bents'. However, a key difference being that these members act in compression as opposed to tension. The original detail proved unsustainable,... more »

Curing is a critical step in concrete pavement construction. Due to the large surface area to be covered, external curing methods normally do not provide concrete with necessary moisture conditions for long-term hydration. Insufficient curing often causes internal cracks or shrinkage cracks on the surface of the pavement. These early-age cracks not only hurt the strength, but also increase the permeability so that chlorides... more »