Success Factors for Snowplow Route Optimization [Research Brief]

06741Project CR14-07Pooled Fund TPF-5(218)A review of snowplow route optimization projects showed that detailed data about a plow route network and close collaboration between route modelers and the operators who drive the routes are critical factors in an optimization project's success

Channel-bed elevation changes downstream from large reservoirs in Kansas /

Includes bibliographical references (p. 24).Mode of access: Internet

Impact of Electric Bikes on Rider Safety on Campus - Phase I [Supporting Dataset]

69A3551747107National Transportation Library (NTL) Curation Note: As this dataset is preserved in a repository outside U.S. DOT control, as allowed by the U.S. DOT's Public Access Plan (https://doi.org/10.21949/1503647) Section 7.4.2 Data, the NTL staff has performed NO additional curation actions on this dataset. The current level of dataset documentation is the responsibility of the dataset creator. NTL staff last accessed this dataset at its repository URL on 2022-11-11. If, in the future, you have trouble accessing this dataset at the host repository, please email [email protected] describing your problem. NTL staff will do its best to assist you at that time.Electric bikes, or e-bikes, provide a potentially significant avenue to facilitate large reductions in greenhouse gases and hazardous emissions while promoting the usage of public transportation. However, little research exists on how these faster, heavier, and quieter vehicles impact rider safety. The goal of this effort was to drive a biomechanically designed e-bike throughout a campus environment in order to obtain quantitative and qualitative data on its operation enabling better models of e-bikes for driving simulator projects, emissions studies, and other transportation related efforts. Key to this endeavor was the development of a low-cost and mobile Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) system that could accurately measure the distance between objects (i.e., pedestrians and cars) and the e-bike. While some success was obtained, the limited processing rate of the components chosen precluded completion. As a result, the development of a second-generation LIDAR system is currently progressing along with two other synergistic activities that will expand the original efforts in order to provide information pre-crash to reduce risks and after accidents as part of post disaster inspection systems. The total size of the described zip file is 582 MB. Files with the .xlsx extension are Microsoft Excel spreadsheet files. These can be opened in Excel or open-source spreadsheet programs. PNG files can be opened using the system's photo viewer. MP4 files are video files that can be played using your operating system's video player software. File extension .md is used in creating GitHub Issues and can be opened in a basic text editor. Text files can be view in notepad or any document reading software. XML files are a markup language file that holds data. They can be opened using open source programs such as Notepad or any text editor. Python Files hold python project. They can be opened using open source software such as PyCharm. Crash Data Retrieval Data files or .CDR files are used to store crash data from moving objects. These can be opened using Bosch Crash Data Retrieval System software or with an open source program such as Pycrash. HTML documents are best viewed through the web browser. Cascading Style Sheets or .css files instruct a document on how to display. They can be opened using a basic text editor such as Notepad. All C++ files such as CMAKE, C++ Source and C++ header can be opened using software such as CodeLite. All of the LiDAR files can be opened using open source programs such as BCAL LiDAR Tools. JPG files can be opened using the system's photo viewer. PDFs are used to display text and images and can be opened with any PDF reader or editor. .Log files contain the generated output of a program and can be opened using a basic text editor such as Notepad. The .csv, Comma Separated Value, file is a simple format that is designed for a database table and supported by many applications. The .csv file is often used for moving tabular data between two different computer programs, due to its open format. Any text editor or spreadsheet program will open .csv files. A file that ends in .m are files written in Objective-C. They help initialize variables and functions from other Objective-C source files. They can be viewed with Apple Xcode or using an iOS simulator. This file is used in conjunction with the .MAT file, which is a binary data container format used by MATLAB, an open source program. Docx files are document files created in Microsoft Word. These files can be opened using Microsoft Word or with an open source text viewer such as Apache OpenOffice. AVI files are video files that can be opened using the system's video player

Safety Evaluation of Raised Speed Limits on Kansas Freeways [Technical Summary]

C2079Setting an appropriate speed limit is necessary to provide safe and efficient traffic operations for all road users. It must also be acceptable to the public and enforceable by police. Lower-than-required speed limits may make most drivers non-compliant, whereas higher-than-required speed limits may increase the number of crashes together with related injuries and fatalities. In 2011, the speed limit on a number of freeway segments in the state of Kansas increased from 70 to 75 miles per hour. The objective of this study is to evaluate the safety effects of freeway sections affected by speed limit change in Kansas. Sections where the speed limit changed from 70 mph to 75 mph and other comparable sections where the speed limit remained at 70 mph without any change were identified. Details of the crashes by severity level for 3 years before (2008\u20132010) and 3 years after (2012\u20132014) the speed limit change were collected using the state crash database. In order to get a general understanding, characteristics of crashes such as nighttime versus daytime, number of trucks involved, weather conditions, driver\u2019s gender, and other such factors were considered. Furthermore, several crash contributory causes were also investigated before and after the speed limit change. In order to evaluate the safety situation, three methods were utilized: (1) Empirical Bayes (EB) observational before-and-after studies; (2) Before-and-after method with comparison group; and (3) Cross-sectional method using the Negative Binomial (NB) regression model. The evaluation was conducted to see if the speed limit change has caused an increase in total crashes or fatal and injury crashes. In regard to speed analysis, the t-test was applied to see whether significant increases in the 85th percentile speed were observed between before-and-after conditions. Since the sample size was large, the Kolmogorov-Smirnov (K-S) test was also conducted to see if there was any difference between two sets of speed data distributions in the before period compared to the after period. By performing the EB before-and-after study, it was seen that total crashes increased by 16 percent, while using the before-and-after method with the comparison group showed around 27 percent increase in total crashes. Total crash increases were statistically significant according to the EB method, and the before-and-after method with the comparison group. On the other hand, fatal and injury crashes increased by 35 percent based on the before-and-after with the comparison group after the speed limit change. This increase was statistically significant, but the EB method results indicated no significant increase in fatal and injury crashes when the speed limit was raised to 75 mph. Further, cross-sectional study results showed the speed limit increase had a significant effect on total crashes, an increase of 25 percent; it was also significant for fatal and injury crashes, with those increasing by 62 percent, which is the highest amount of increase compared to the EB method and the before-and-after method with the comparison group. By considering pros and cons of each methodology, it can be said that the before-and-after method with comparison group provided the most reliable results. The t-test results showed the 5-mph increase in the speed limit caused a statistically significant increase in 85th percentile speed for the sections affected by speed limit change. However, there was also an increase for the sections without a speed limit change, but this was due to large sample sizes of speed data in the before-and-after period. The K-S test results also showed that the speed distribution of treated sites during the after period was different than the before period. Understanding the results of this study will help with future speed limit adjustments on freeways in Kansas

Trends in peak flows of selected streams in Kansas /

Includes bibliographical references (p. 61-62).Mode of access: Internet.Electronic mode of access : World Wide Web

Implementation of the AASHTO Mechanistic-Empirical Design Guide (AASHTOWare Pavement ME Design) for Pavement Rehabilitation [Technical Summary]

TPF-5(311)The AASHTOWare Pavement ME Design (PMED) is a novel design method for new and rehabilitated pavement designs based on mechanistic-empirical design principles. The design process includes several empirical models calibrated with pavement performance data from pavement sections throughout the United States. Improved accuracy of the design process requires that the models be calibrated to local conditions. Therefore, the objective of this study was to implement the AASHTOWare PMED software for rehabilitated pavement design by performing local calibration for state-managed roads in Kansas, New Jersey, and Maine

Development Length Variables in Pretensioned Concrete Ties [Research Results]

This research, conducted from 2011 to 2015, is part of a larger project, \u201cQuantifying the Effect of Prestressing Steel and Concrete Variables on the Transfer Length in Pretensioned Concrete Crossties,\u201d conducted by Kansas State University (KSU) and sponsored by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA). This report highlights advances in quantifying the development length in pretensioned concrete railroad ties. This information is needed to accurately determine the nominal flexural capacity of these ties along their length. Experimental results from load tests on pretensioned, prestressed concrete prisms revealed a significant relationship between wire reinforcement type and concrete release strength on the development length and flexural capacity of the reinforced concrete specimens. A full technical report of this research may be found on the K-State Research Exchange