Expanded Use of AVL/GPS Technology: Final Report

MnDOT Contract No. 1044528Summer road maintenance is a critical activity for highway maintenance agencies that involves a wide range of maintenance and construction vehicles that can be active at any given time, which makes vehicle and maintenance asset management challenges. Automated Vehicle Location (AVL) and Global Positioning Systems (GPS) technologies installed in winter maintenance vehicles have the potential to support summer road maintenance vehicles to improve asset tracking and management practices, as well as other purposes such as process automation and paperwork reduction for field staff in terms of activity reporting. The use of AVL/GPS systems to support both winter and summer maintenance activities can help justify the expenses incurred with respect to hardware / software acquisition and training costs across a wide range of applications. This report continues building upon prior Clear Roads research and helps highway maintenance agencies optimize the value gained from the acquisition of AVL/GPS systems by deploying them year-round, rather than being limited to winter maintenance operations. This report summarizes agencies\u2019 experiences and lessons learned in using AVL/GPS technologies in summer and year-round maintenance activities. It also highlights the types of issues other highway maintenance agencies should consider prior to system procurement, provides guidance for successful transition and implementation of the technology, and serves as a possible template for agencies to get the best value out of different levels their AVL/GPS applications

Achieving efficiencies within ODOT with the event streaming platform

Final report; "August 2023."; "Project ID number: 114247."; "Performing organization name ... AECOM Technical Services, Inc."--Page 1; "Prepared in cooperation with the Ohio Department of Transportation and the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration"--Page 2; Additional project information provided in email: SJN 136342; Includes bibliographical references; Sponsored by Ohio Department of Transportation, Office of Statewide Planning & Research; Contract or grant number: 36499Final report (101 pages) -- [Fact sheet] (2 unnumbered pages)The goal of this research is to achieve efficiencies within ODOT for the Event Streaming Platform (ESP). This research queried potential Use Case data from several of the divisions and two of the districts at ODOT with the goal of identifying current tasks that may benefit from automation, tasks that are redundant or use multiple systems to draw a conclusion, and data gaps. From the data collection, 17 Use Cases for ESP were identified for analysis across ODOT. The additional data points collected may identify other improvements outside of the ESP platform which are data provided to ODOT for an increase in benefits from this research. The research developed a high-level statement of work (SOW) and a summarized one-page information sheet for each Use Case that may be used when ODOT is ready to pursue the development within the ESP environment. Using a scoring method based on relative cost and reusability, each Use Case is scored to determine an optimal implementation plan, or Roadma

Correlation of Jackson & Pollock 3 Site Skinfold Test and the InBody 570 Bioelectrical Body Composition Analyzer

The purpose of this research is to determine the correlation between the Jackson and Pollock three site skinfold test, and the InBody 570 Bioelectrical Body Composition Analyzer. The researcher will perform the same skinfold test on all participants, and will use the same methods for each participant. The participants will range from 18-22 years of age. The InBody 570 Bioelectrical Body Composition Analyzer will be calibrated before the use of each participant to ensure accurate results. All participants\u27 results from both tests will be compared with each other to determine if there is a correlation between the two tests. After all testing and data collection is complete, the researcher will be available to discuss the participants\u27 individual results, and will ensure anonymous

Effective and Economical Cleaning of Pipes and Underdrains \u2013 Phase II

SJN 135531The Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) maintains 43,000 lane miles of roadway in order to allow the public to safely and efficiently travel throughout Ohio. One of the tasks that ODOT is responsible for is the maintenance of drainage assets. ODOT utilizes a vacuum jet truck (VJT) to clean all drainage assets. The size, required manpower, lack of mobility, and cost to operate the VJT suggest that ODOT should investigate alterative equipment. A new hydro-jet style technology called the modified cleaning system (MCS) was designed to clean drainage infrastructure. The purpose of this research is to compare the current practices of ODOT to new technology in order to improve the drainage cleaning operations. The research team recommends the use of the MCS for cross drains, driveway pipes, and underdrains with diameters from 4 to 12 in. that do not require the ability to vacuum in order to be considered clean; however, throughout the report the MCS successfully cleaned assets with diameters ranging up to 48 in

Evaluation of the Ohio Department of Transportation's Current Storm Sewer Cleaning Operations \u2013 Phase II

SJN 135494The Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) is in charge of constructing, maintaining and ensuring the safety of roads within its control. Proper maintenance procedures are critical in reducing the amount of funding required to sustain long lasting and safe roads. One maintenance responsibility of ODOT is to inspect and clean the storm sewer infrastructure along its roadways. If not properly maintained, storm sewers may become full of debris and flood the road with storm water, creating a safety hazard for the traveling public and negatively impacting the pavement condition. This study will provide ODOT, contractors and other state DOT\u2019s a review of an alternative equipment option that is now available. The Recycler is a piece of equipment that is similar in functionality to a Vacuum Jet Truck (VJT), but with the addition of a water recycling system used to filter the wastewater removed from sewers. The filtered wastewater may then be reused for jetting purposes, removing the need to make long refill and decanting trips. Field data were obtained by observing the VJT and Recycler operations over the course of a summer maintenance season. The data were used to model the production rates and economics associated with both the VJT and Recycler equipment options. An overall cost-benefit analysis was completed as well as an implementation plan for different types of structures, operator training and environmental settings. The team found that the Recycler studied is a viable and economically feasible option to incorporate into a DOT or contractor equipment fleet as it is 52% more productive than the VJT