Reliability-based design procedure for fatigue cracking in asphalt pavements

The need to account for the effect of design input variabilities on predicted performance has led to many design procedures that address reliability for pavement applications. The Florida cracking model uses empirically derived reliability for fatigue cracking design of asphalt pavements. A reliability approach, which is based on probabilistic uncertainty quantification, is necessary to account properly and effectively for the contribution of the variability in each parameter to the overall variance. This paper presents a load and resistance factor design (LRFD) procedure for the Florida cracking model. By delivering designs of uniform reliability, LRFD provides the basis for developing quality control and quality assurance standards. A first-order reliability method that incorporates a surrogate model based on central composite design was used to compute the reliability and formulate the partial safety factors. The reliability calibration was based on field pavement sections that had a wide range of design inputs and target reliability. Illustrative designs based on the developed LRFD procedure show the effectiveness of the partial safety factors and further confirm the credibility of the reliability analysis methodology

Payment mechanisms for winter road maintenance services

In countries with severe winters a major part of the annual budget for road maintenance is allocated on performance of winter road maintenance tasks. Finding appropriate remuneration forms to compensate entrepreneurs for performed road measures during winter is not an easy task in order to minimise or eliminate disputes and satisfy both client organisations and contractors. On the other hand improper reimbursement models lead either to the client’s annual budget imbalance due to unnecessary cost overruns or affect contractor’s cash-flow. Such cases in turn affect just-in-time winter road maintenance and then traffic safety. To solve such problems, a number of countries in cold regions like Sweden have developed different remuneration models based more on weather data called Weather Index. Therefore the objective of this paper is to investigate and evaluate the payment models applied in Sweden. The study uses a number of approaches namely; domestic questionnaire survey, analysis of a number of contract documents, a series of meetings with the project managers and an international benchmarking. The study recognised four remuneration models for winter maintenance service of which one based on weather data statistics. The study reveals the payment model based on weather data statistics is only applied for the roads with higher traffic flow and the model generates most uncertainty

Антипсихотические лекарственные средства. Риск развития экстрапирамидных нарушений и/или абстинентного синдрома у новорожденных, матери которых принимали вышеуказанные лекарственные средства в течение третьего триместра беременности

ЛЕКАРСТВАТРАНКВИЛИЗАТОРЫ БОЛЬШИ

Slow Dynamics Diagnosis of Asphalt Concrete Specimen to Determine Level of Damage caused by Static Low Temperature Conditioning

The phenomenon of slow dynamics has been observed in a variety of materials which are considered as relatively homogeneous that exhibit nonlinearity due to the presence of defects or cracks within them [1]. Experimental realizations in previous work suggest that slow dynamics can be in response to acoustic drives with relatively larger amplitude as well as rapid change of temperature [2]. Slow dynamics as a nonlinear elastic response of damaged materials is manifested as a sharp drop and then recovery of resonance frequency linearly with logarithmic time. In this work, slow dynamics recovery is intended to be used as a means of identifying and evaluating thermal damage on asphalt concrete specimen. The experimental protocol for measuring slow dynamics is based on the technique of nonlinear resonance spectroscopy and is set up with non-contact excitation using loud speaker and data acquisition tool box of Matlab. Sweeps of frequency with low amplitude are applied in order to probe the specimen at its linear elastic state. The drop and then recovery in resonance frequency is observed after the specimen is exposed to thermal shock. The investigation of this property can help in studying how asphalt concrete behaves with respect to its state of damage

Low frequency dielectric spectroscopy of bitumen binders as an indicator of adhesion potential to quartz aggregates using Portland cement

The purpose of this investigation was to interpret the bitumen-aggregate adhesion based on the dielectric spectroscopic response of individual material components utilizing their dielectric constants, refractive indices and average tangent of the dielectric loss angle (average loss tangent). Dielectric spectroscopy of bitumen binders at room temperature was performed in the frequency range of 0.01–1000 Hz. Dielectric spectroscopy is an experimental method for characterizing the dielectric permittivity of a material as a function of frequency. Adhesion data has been determined using the Rolling bottle method. The results show that the magnitude of the average tangent of the dielectric loss angle (average loss tangent) depends on bitumen type. The average loss tangent in the frequency range 0.01–1 Hz is introduced as a potential indicator for predicting polarizability and, thereby, adhesion potential of bitumen binders to quartz aggregates when using Portland cement. In order to obtain acceptable adhesion of 70/100 penetration grade bitumen binders and quartz aggregates when using Portland cement, it is suggested that the binder have an average tan δ > 0.035 in the frequency range 0.01–1 Hz

Considering the benefits of asphalt modification using a new technical life cycle assessment framework

Asphalt mixtures properties can be enhanced by modifying it with additives. Even though the immediate benefits of using polymers and waxes to modify the binder properties are rather well documented, the effects of such modification over the lifetime of a road are seldom considered. To investigate this, a newly developed open technical life cycle assessment (LCA) framework was used to determine production energy and emission limits for the asphalt additives. The LCA framework is coupled to a calibrated mechanics based computational framework that predicts the in-time pavement performance. Limits for production energy of wax and polymers were determined for the hypothetical case studies to show how LCA tools can assist the additives manufacturers to modify their production procedures and help road authorities in setting ‘green’ limits to get a real benefit from the additives over the lifetime of a road. From the detailed case-studies, it was concluded that better understanding of materials will lead to enhanced pavement design and could help in the overall reduction of energy usage and emissions. First published online: 02 Sep 201

Effects of truck traffic on top-down fatigue cracking performance of flexible pavements using a new mechanics-based analysis framework

The mechanics-based analysis framework predicts top-down fatigue cracking initiation time in asphalt concrete pavements by utilising fracture mechanics and mixture morphology-based property. To reduce the level of complexity involved, traffic data were characterised and incorporated into the framework using the equivalent single axle load (ESAL) approach. There is a concern that this kind of simplistic traffic characterisation might result in erroneous performance predictions and pavement structural designs. This paper integrates axle load spectra and other traffic characterisation parameters into the mechanics-based analysis framework and studies the impact these traffic characterisation parameters have on predicted fatigue cracking performance. The traffic characterisation inputs studied are traffic growth rate, axle load spectra, lateral wheel wander and volume adjustment factors. For this purpose, a traffic integration approach which incorporates Monte Carlo simulation and representative traffic characterisation inputs was developed. The significance of these traffic characterisation parameters was established by evaluating a number of field pavement sections. It is evident from the results that all the traffic characterisation parameters except truck wheel wander have been observed to have significant influence on predicted top-down fatigue cracking performance

Validation of podocalyxin-like protein as a biomarker of poor prognosis in colorectal cancer

Background: Podocalyxin-like 1 (PODXL) is a cell-adhesion glycoprotein and stem cell marker that has been associated with an aggressive tumour phenotype and adverse outcome in several cancer types. We recently demonstrated that overexpression of PODXL is an independent factor of poor prognosis in colorectal cancer (CRC). The aim of this study was to validate these results in two additional independent patient cohorts and to examine the correlation between PODXL mRNA and protein levels in a subset of tumours. Method: PODXL protein expression was analyzed by immunohistochemistry in tissue microarrays with tumour samples from a consecutive, retrospective cohort of 270 CRC patients (cohort 1) and a prospective cohort of 337 CRC patients (cohort 2). The expression of PODXL mRNA was measured by real-time quantitative PCR in a subgroup of 62 patients from cohort 2. Spearman's Rho and Chi-Square tests were used for analysis of correlations between PODXL expression and clinicopathological parameters. Kaplan Meier analysis and Cox proportional hazards modelling were applied to assess the relationship between PODXL expression and time to recurrence (TTR), disease free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS). Results: High PODXL protein expression was significantly associated with unfavourable clinicopathological characteristics in both cohorts. In cohort 1, high PODXL expression was associated with a significantly shorter 5-year OS in both univariable (HR = 2.28; 95% CI 1.43-3.63, p = 0.001) and multivariable analysis (HR = 2.07; 95% CI 1.25-3.43, p = 0.005). In cohort 2, high PODXL expression was associated with a shorter TTR (HR = 2.93; 95% CI 1.26-6.82, p = 0.013) and DFS (HR = 2.44; 95% CI 1.32-4.54, p = 0.005), remaining significant in multivariable analysis, HR = 2.50; 95% CI 1.05-5.96, p = 0.038 for TTR and HR = 2.11; 95% CI 1.13-3.94, p = 0.019 for DFS. No significant correlation could be found between mRNA levels and protein expression of PODXL and there was no association between mRNA levels and clinicopathological parameters or survival. Conclusions: Here, we have validated the previously demonstrated association between immunohistochemical expression of PODXL and poor prognosis in CRC in two additional independent patient cohorts. The results further underline the potential utility of PODXL as a biomarker for more precise prognostication and treatment stratification of CRC patients

Изучение байесовского подхода к анализу медико-биологических данных в курсе медицинской и биологической физики

Background: The clinical behaviour of colon cancer is heterogeneous. Five-year overall survival is 50-65% with all stages included. Recurring somatic chromosomal alterations have been identified and some have shown potential as markers for dissemination of the tumour, which is responsible for most colon cancer deaths. We investigated 115 selected stage II-IV primary colon cancers for associations between chromosomal alterations and tumour dissemination. Methods: Follow-up was at least 5 years for stage II-III patients without distant recurrence. Affymetrix SNP 6.0 microarrays and allele-specific copy number analysis were used to identify chromosomal alterations. Fisher's exact test was used to associate alterations with tumour dissemination, detected at diagnosis (stage IV) or later as recurrent disease (stage II-III). Results: Loss of 1p36.11-21 was associated with tumour dissemination in microsatellite stable tumours of stage II-IV (odds ratio = 5.5). It was enriched to a similar extent in tumours with distant recurrence within stage II and stage III subgroups, and may therefore be used as a prognostic marker at diagnosis. Loss of 1p36.11-21 relative to average copy number of the genome showed similar prognostic value compared to absolute loss of copies. Therefore, the use of relative loss as a prognostic marker would benefit more patients by applying also to hyperploid cancer genomes. The association with tumour dissemination was supported by independent data from the The Cancer Genome Atlas. Conclusion: Deletions on 1p36 may be used to guide adjuvant treatment decisions in microsatellite stable colon cancer of stages II and III