Quantification of Infrastructure Consumption under Different Axle Configurations and Wheel Loads
http://swutc.tamu.edu/projectdescriptions/600451-00071.htm
Record Type: UTC
Recent developments in the oil and gas energy sector in Texas have resulted in increased volumes of traffic with an associated increase in the road deterioration rate. This unanticipated and accelerated deterioration imposes additional burden on already insufficient maintenance and rehabilitation budgets that affect most state highway agencies in the United States. There is absolutely no doubt that the energy sector contributes immensely to the economy of the state and the region but it is also a fact that it is not sustainable to keep the highway system in a state of good repair. This project will attempt to quantify the problem. The first task will consist of identifying the main stakeholders which will include state agencies, county authorities and engineers, energy industry, service industries to the energy sector, trucking industry and other relevant parties. This will enable the project to assess the extent of the problem. At the same time a mechanistically-based methodology will be developed and utilized to estimate the damage caused to the surface transportation infrastructure. The project will use the DARWin-ME design guide and software. The outcome of the mechanistically-based analysis will produce the rational for establishing the proportion of damage that can be attributed to the traffic generated by the oil and gas industries and will be used to establish costs for addressing reconstruction, rehabilitation and maintenance needs. With the elements developed from the previous steps, a management system will be proposed that will enable the State Highway Agencies in the region and local authorities to make better utilization of their limited resources.
Start date: 2012/5/1
End date: 2013/8/31
Status: Active
Contract/Grant Number: DTRT12-G-UTC06
Secondary Number: 600451-00071
Total Dollars: 79285
Source Organization: Southwest Region University Transportation Center (SWUTC)
Date Added: 07/11/2012
Index Terms: Texas, Wheel loads, Deterioration, Pavement design, Rehabilitation (Maintenance), Resource allocation,
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University of Texas, Austin
Center for Transportation Research, 3208 Red River, Suite 200
Autsin, TX 78712-1075
USA
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Prozzi, Jorge
Phone: (512) 232-3488
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