Research Highlights

On April 16, 2013, INDOT geotechnical engineers (see photos above) participated in a training program on the application of pile dynamics to quality assurance in deep foundations hosted by Purdue University. Professors Monica Prezzi and Rodrigo Salgado organized the program, which featured two presentations given by Dr. Frank Rausche from GRL Engineers, Inc. and Pile Dynamics, Inc. The presentations included Wave Equation Analysis and Dynamic Pile Load Testing.

Local polish-susceptible aggregates can be used to replace a portion of high-quality friction aggregates in HMA and SMA surface mixtures without detrimental effects on friction.

A JTRP study (SPR-3709) led by Purdue Civil Engineering Professors Phillip Dunston and Hubo Cai has been initiated to analyze the data from the IC rollers. This data, along with the corresponding Dynamic Cone Penetrometer (DCP) acceptance tests, will be used to develop allowable tolerances and acceptance testing criteria.

Prior to 2013, INDOT operated two paint trucks per district (one edge line truck and one center line truck). The Greenfield and Crawfordsville districts were chosen to develop and test ideas to enable the transition to painting with just one truck per district.

INDOT continues to innovate how it prioritizes investments in capital and operations projects to improve Indiana mobility. This report, the second in the series, provides quantitative performance measures that identify congestion according to its frequency and severity.

INDOT's Research and Development Division provides specialized testing services in a variety of areas related to pavements and structures for data driven decision making and to minimize risks. These tests assist the department in warranty contract compliance, pavement designs, safety of Indiana roadways, and forensic investigations.

The objective of this research is to develop design strategies to improve the efficiency and optimize the design of the Indiana modified U-beam. The research program has been focused in three areas (1) evaluating the live load distribution appropriate for the design of U-beams, (2) assessing the behavior and design of the bridge deck when supported by U-beams, and (3) evaluating both the shear strength and shear design of the composite U-beam system.

Internally cured high performance bridge concrete (ICHPC) is a standard bridge deck concrete mixture in which a portion of the cement is replaced with silica fume and fly ash to improve the properties, providing a more dense and less permeable material.

In 2008, Robert Frosch, Michael Kreger, and Aaron Talbott completed "SPR-2867: Earthquake Resistance of Integral Abutment Bridges." The project examined the response of integral abutment bridges to seismic loading. The project combined the results of field, analytical, and laboratory investigations to evaluate allowable bridge lengths based on seismic performance.

In 2009 Chulmin Jung, Sochan Jung, Antonio Bobet and Nayyar Siddiki completed "SPR-3380: Field Investigation of Subgrade Lime Modification." That project investigated the quality of the treatment that would be obtained using current construction procedures and also explored other methods that could provide a more uniform and better quality subgrade.JTRP research project investigates the quality of the treatment that would be obtained using current construction p