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Examples of High Value Research Washington State Department of Transportation. Leni Oman Director Office of Research & Library Services. Kim Willoughby Research Manager Office of Research & Library Services. Kathy Lindquist Research Manager Office of Research & Library Services.
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Examples of High Value Research Washington State Department of Transportation Leni Oman Director Office of Research & Library Services Kim Willoughby Research Manager Office of Research & Library Services Kathy Lindquist Research Manager Office of Research & Library Services AASHTO RAC/TRB State Representatives Annual Meeting Salt Lake City, Utah July 27, 2011
Precast Systems for Rapid Construction of Bridges • The Issue • Faster bridge construction is a priority • Precast concrete components help accomplish this • Design specifications for connecting these components only recently available • Performance of bridges with precast components during earthquakes a concern Placement of Precast Components I-5 Grand Mound to Maytown Stage 2 HfL Project
Precast Systems for Rapid Construction of Bridges • What We did • Research initiated to study seismic performance of precast concrete bent cap to column connections • Research conducted by the University of Washington for $200,000 over 2 years • What We Found • Successfully applied to construction of a continuous precast prestressed bridge with precast bent cap. Benefits included: • Construction costs were lower due to shorter construction times • Fewer lane restrictions and traffic control • Better safety in the work zone Placement of Precast Crossbeam Section Reports: Anchorage Of Large-diameter Reinforcing Bars Grouted Into Ducts Rapidly Constructible Large-Bar Precast Bridge-Bent Seismic Connection A Precast Concrete Bridge Bent Designed to Re-Center After an Earthquake
Seismic Retrofitting Research • Over the last decade: • WSDOT has conducted more than 13 research projects on retrofitting existing bridges to withstand seismic activity • Cost of these projects: ~$1.5 million • This research has led to the retrofit of almost half of the bridges in the high risk seismic zone in Washington Steel Jacket for Seismic Retrofit
State Highways as Main Streets: A Study of Community Design and Visioning • The Issue • 500 miles of State Highways in Washington serve as the main street providing local access as well as regional mobility • Design affects community livability and safety: these roads among the highest rates of pedestrian and traffic collisions in the state. • Late stage design changes in these projects have increased costs and delayed projects.
State Highways as Main Streets: A Study of Community Design and Visioning • What We did • WSDOT tested the use of community design and visioning during project development in three locations • Research conducted by the University of Washington in 12 months for under $50K • What We Found • By actively building consensus and addressing a range of both agency and community concerns, community design: • Helped ensure traffic flow, livability, safety, & tourism • Supported efficient project delivery with fewer changes – keeping delays and costs down • Estimated to save $9M per project Reports: State Highways as Main Streets: A Study of Community Design and Visioning Research Note