Experimental Subject List Descriptions (ESLD)

A2000 Polyvinylchloride (PVC) Irrigation Line
A-2000 is a corrugated PVC plastic pipe with a smooth interior wall that is designed for use in storm drain and sanitary sewer applications. This project will determine the effectiveness and long-term durability of the pipe in an irrigation application. This type of pipe may prove to be a viable alternative to reinforced concrete pipe (RCP).

Aggregate Base Preparations
Creating premium road base out of troublesome aggregates or soils is part of a successful formula in building superior performing pavements. As traffic loads and volumes rise, and as long-term pavement performance gets increased attention, what lies under the pavement is getting the same attention as what is on top. Methods of building superior-performing road bases; either for reconstructed roads, or new roads on new alignments are getting a close look by state departments of transportation, designers, and builders. Stabilized, premium bases tame troublesome soils, when they are saturated or subject to pavement-destroying, long-term expansion. In addition, if water is the enemy of a pavement, premium bases can either waterproof a road structure to keep water out, or drain water right out of the pavement structure and into the roadsides, where it belongs. The base course is the layer immediately below the pavement or surface course, It may be located above the subbase, or if no subbase is placed, immediately above the basement soil. In this effort, the Montana Department of Transportation is initiating an experimental trail of various aggregate base preparations in effort to determine effectiveness of these treatments for potential use in future road construction projects.

Application Of Seal Coat Asphalt Emulsion (Or Fog Coating) Over Existing Chip Seal For Improved Chip Retention
Determine the effectiveness and durability of applying a fog seal (SS1 asphalt emulsion) post chip seal with two varying rates of SS1 application in an effort to minimize chip loss.

Automated Fixed Anti-icing Device for use on Billings District Area Bridge
The West laurel interchange east bound lane has a documented accident history due to icy conditions during winter months. This structure is scheduled to be realigned in five years. Due to the current severity of the accidents at this location the Billings District is installing a fixed automated anti-icing device on the subject structure. Performance measures for effectiveness would be a reduced accident rate. Additional information to be collected would be the durability of the device and the cost of maintaining the equipment. A road weather information system (RWIS) will also be installed to complement the device. Information from the RWIS will provide critical data to support the effectiveness of the anti-icing strategy. The trail implementation of this device will be a determining factor if other bridge structures in the state could be made safer from its use.

Cement-Treated Base
Soil-cement is a mixture of pulverized soil material and measured amounts of portland cement and water, compacted to high density. As the cement hydrates, the mixture becomes a hard, durable paving material. A bituminous wearing course is placed on the soil-cement base to complete the pavement.

The soil material in soil-cement can be almost any combination of sand, silt, clay, and gravel or crushed stone. Local granular materials (such as slag, caliche, limerock, and scoria) plus a wide variety of waste material (such as cinders, fly ash, and screenings from quarries and gravel pits) can be used to make soil-cement. In addition, old granular-based roads, with or without their bituminous surfaces, can be recycled to make good soil-cement.

There are two primary types of soil-and-cement mixtures:

• Soil-cement
• Cement-modified soil

Soil-cement is a hardened material which contains sufficient cement to satisfy established weight-loss criteria based on standard freeze-thaw and wet-dry tests. Other terms such as cement-stabilized soils and cement-stabilized aggregate base are sometimes used. Cement-modified soil can be a hardened, unhardened or semi-hardened mixture of soil and cement. When small quantities of portland cement and moistures are added to a soil material, the chemical and physical properties of that soil material are improved.

Soil-cement is used primarily as a base course for:

• Roads and streets
• Airports
• Shoulders and parking areas
• Subbase for rigid pavements
• Subbase for flexible and soil-cement pavements
• Reconstruction and recycling of failed flexible pavements

Chip Seal as Asphalt Interlayer to Retard Reflective Cracking
This project will attempt to determine if a conventional chip seal applied between an existing deteriorated layer of asphalt cement (AC) and a new lift of AC can reduce the occurrence of reflective cracking in the pavement.

Class C Fly Ash to Reduce the Level of PCCP in Cement Treated Base (CTB)
Determine the effect of pavement performance on various amounts (percentage) of class C fly ash on cement treated bases (CTB).

Cold In-Place Recycling (CIR)
Cold In-Place Recycling is the milling, screening and crushing of existing asphalt pavement, adding new additives, mixing and re-laying the material to form a new pavement structure. Normally a new surface consisting of hot mix asphalt or a seal coat may be required. Traffic can use the surface the same day. The CIR process can also include Full depth Reclamation.

Full Depth Reclamation is the processing of existing pavement layers and some underlying base material to rehabilitate an existing asphalt pavement. Typically, additives are used to improve the characteristics of the existing materials. The process is completed in-place and can be used in either a "closed road" or "under traffic" situations. It is used frequently when pavement problems are severe and processing of the entire pavement structure is necessary. A new surface consisting of hot mix asphalt or a seal coat may be required.

The benefits CIR can provide are:

• Reflective cracking is reduced or eliminated
• Geometrics are restored
• Rutting is eliminated
• Some base problems may be addressed
• Average production of two lane-miles a day
• Traffic is allowed through construction
• Roadway can be opened to traffic each night
• Existing natural resources can be used
• Cost effective

Crack-Sealing Milled Asphalt Pavement Prior to Overlay
To determine if crack sealing a milled pavement prior to overlay will deter the migration of transverse cracking, or have an effect on pavement performance, when compared to an adjacent milled pavement that receives no crack sealing. If shown that there is no appreciable difference in the migration of transverse cracking between the two section the State will see a savings on reducing the practice of sealing milled pavement cracks.

Detectable Warning Device (DWD) For Asphalt Pavement Application
Installation of a MetaDome anodized stainless steel DWD for use in asphalt pavement retrofit.

Detectable Warning Devices
Through the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), states are now mandated to construct or alter facilities in a manner making them accessible to people with disabilities. The ADA access board published accessibility guidelines (ADAAG) for public right-of-ways addressing detectable warning devices (DWD) in 1991, and issued them for comment in 1992 and 1994. Based on concerns about the specifications, the board suspended its requirement for detectable warnings on the surface of curb ramps and other locations where pedestrian ways blend with vehicular ways without tactile cues. After continued discussion, the moratorium was ended in July of 2001 with revised accessibility guidelines being issued in June 2002. Truncated domes are now the standard at curb ramp crossing where tactile devices are needed for the visually impaired. The information derived from this experiment will assist the Department in choosing the optimum DWD for use on transportation facilities in the State of Montana.

Durability Of Centerline Rumble Strips
Evaluate the long-term durability and retroreflectivity effectiveness of centerline rumble strips.

Edge-Line Pavement Markings on Rumble Strips
Edge line rumble stripes are when the rumble strip is moved to the location of where the edge line is and then the edge line is painted onto the rumble strip. Research has shown some of the benefits to rumble stripes are: Additional recovery time for potential run off the road accidents, provides additional room for bicyclists and pedestrians, may improve wet reflectivity of the paint stripe, and improved longevity of pavement marking.

Electrobraid Mat To Deter Wildlife Crossing
The mats are powered by solar panels and work like electric fencing used for livestock. When an animal touches the mat, it receives a mild shock which discourages the animal from wanting to walk across the mat and into the highway corridor.

Emulsified Asphalt Treated Aggregate (EATA) Base Preparations
EATA is a Crushed Aggregate Course (CAC) material blended with an Emulsified Asphalt. CAC is pug-mill blended with CSS-1 emulsified asphalt. The intended benefit of using of EATA is to reduce chemical dust control products and provide an improved, temporary riding surface on highway projects, particularly during winter shut down. EATA was originally intended to improve the construction process by increasing the serviceability of the gravel sections and reduce the amount of dust control products that are currently being used on highway projects. A substantially important benefit would be gained if EATA would provide a smoother more durable and "cleaner" winter riding surface. The goals and objectives of EATA:

1. Reduce road dust, and reduce the need for chemical dust control products.
2. Provide a smoother improved temporary riding surface.
3. Reducing winter and construction maintenance.
4. Provide a firm, stable, and smooth platform to pave on.
5. Improve the constructability of the first lift PMS (reduce roll out and improve compactability)

Evaluation of Strieter-Lite Wild Animal Highway Warning Reflector System on Reducing Vehicle-Animal Collisions
Determine the effectiveness of wild animal reflector warning systems for reducing the number of vehicle and animal collisions and the maintenance efforts needed to maintain this type of system. Goals of the effort is to record installation of reflector warning system, document maintenance of reflector warning system, record the removal of animal carcasses in project area, and track animal and vehicle collision data in project area.

Fiber-Reinforced Polymer (FRP)
FRP's are engineered composite designed materials using fiber-reinforced plastics. The basic components of FRP's are the continuous fibers and the matrix. The strength and stiffness of the composite is provided by the fibers, which have significantly superior properties than the bulk matrix material. Fibers are selected to carry the majority of the load applied to the composite element. Fibers used in FRP composites may either be glass or carbon; however, glass fibers are most commonly used. The properties of glass fibers are well known and predictable. They show good mechanical behavior and high strength. Glass fibers are also readily available at low cost. Although carbon fibers posses higher strength and stiffness, they are expensive and are only used when their specific properties are needed.

The matrix is essentially the binder of the FRP. Its main role is to support and protect the load-carrying fibers, as well as transmit the applied load to the fibers. The most common type of resins used for the matrix of an FRP is epoxy and polyester. Most FRP composites are composed of a polyester matrix because of its low cost. Epoxy may be used in some high strength applications where the extra cost incurred is justified. Polyester resins are resistant to water, weather, aging, a variety of chemicals, and can be used at temperatures up to 79°C (175°F).

In general, glass fiber plastic composites have the following advantages:

• Good physical properties; including strength, elasticity, impact resistance, and dimensional stability
• High strength to weight ratio
• Good electrical properties
• Resistance to chemical attack and outdoor weathering
• Resistance to moderately high temperatures
• Suitability for fabrication by a variety of production methods
• Adaptability to a wide range of sizes

The most common fabrication method for FRP composites is pultrusion. The pultrusion process makes constant cross section parts of unlimited length. Continuous single fibers as well as fiber mats are fed through the process from spools. The fibers are fed through a wet-out bath that contains the resin matrix, catalyst, and other additives. The excess liquid resin is removed and returned to the bath. Finally, the fibers and matrix are pulled through the pultrusion die, and take shape of the final product. The final product is continuously being pulled out and is constrained in length only by building and shipping limitations.

Geogrid Reinforced Base Course
This project is to select various geogrid products in an effort to reinforce the base course to improve pavement performance.

GeoRidge Erosion Control Permeable Ditch Berm
The objective was to deploy the device GeoRidge which is a permeable ditch berm designed for erosion and sediment control in a replacement of the conventional waddles. GeoRidge is constructed of a durable UV stabilized HDPE and manufactured using a fully automated process to trap sediment.

Geosynthetic Reinforced Soil (GRS) Integrated Bridge System (IBS) Technology
A new bridge structure built with Geosynthetic Reinforced Soil (GRS) Integrated Bridge system (IBS) technology. GRS-IBS technology is essentially a system that uses a series of alternating layers of granular fill material and fabric sheets of geotextile reinforcement that provide support for the bridge slab. The combination of the compressive strength of the granular soil and the tensile strength of the geotextile results in a very strong internally supported structure that is able to handle a substantial load. Furthermore, this design provides a smooth transition from the roadway to the bridge since the construction is jointless and has no approach slab.

High-Density Polyethylene Culverts in Mainline Applications
Determine the effectiveness of various sizes of High Density Polyethylene Pipe (HDPE) culverts in a Primary System mainline application. Three sizes of diameter pipe will be installed on a Billings District project; 750mm (approximately 30"), 900mm (approximately 35") and 1200mm (approximately 47") respectively. The product chosen is the ADS N-12WT IB corrugated watertight, smooth interior polyethylene pipe.

High-Performance Concrete Bridge Deck
The primary objective of this project is to demonstrate and document the constructability and advantages of high-performance concrete (HPC) in bridge deck construction. Premature deterioration of concrete bridges and new advances in concrete technology make high performance concrete (HPC) an attractive option for new bridges. Recent MDT sponsored research has developed usable specifications for this area bridge. This research has qualified the use of the new HPC specification in South Helena Interchange deck construction.

Highways for Life (HfL) Culvert Rehabilitation Project
The purpose of Highways for 'LIFE' (HfL) is to advance Longer-lasting highway infrastructure using Innovations to accomplish the Fast construction of Efficient and safe highways and bridges, (thus the acronym LIFE). And it's innovation that is the key to finding our way out the highway challenge. Innovations is an inclusive term used by HfL to convey all of the following: technologies, materials, tools, equipment, procedures, specifications, methodologies, processes or practices used in the financing, design or construction of highways. The three goals of HfL are to:

• Improve safety during and after construction,
• Reduce congestion caused by construction, and
• Improve the quality of the highway infrastructure.

Specifically, HfL is focused on accelerating the adoption of innovations in the highway community.

This project involves retrofitting dilapidated corrugated steel pipe (CSP) with culvert liners on US 12, MacDonald Pass in Powell County. By lining the existing culverts with plastic and polymer compound liners rather than excavating and replacing them, the work will lengthen the useful life of the culverts while requiring one day's closure of a single lane of the four-lane highway. Traditional culvert replacement requires the closure of half of the highway for four days. The plan reduces construction time by 70 percent. This practice will minimize the potential vehicle conflict between opposing traffic, work zone equipment, and personnel.

In-Laid Thermoplastic Pavement Markings Prior to Chip Seal
The intent of this experiment is to identify a less costly method of preparing plant mix surfaces having hot in-laid thermoplastic pavement markings for use prior to seal coat application.

Micro-cracking Cement Treated Bases (CTB) to Reduce Reflective Cracking
Shrinkage cracking occurs in cement treated bases (CTB) due to desiccation and cement hydration. Eventually these cracks start to reflect through the pavement surfacing. While initially cosmetic in nature, these cracks open the pavement to water infiltration and increase the likelihood of accelerated pavement distress. This project focused on evaluating the effectiveness of the micro cracking concept for reducing shrinkage cracking in cement-treated bases. Micro cracking can be defined as the application of several vibratory roller passes to the cement-treated base at a short curing stage, typically after 1 to 3 days, to create a fine network of cracks. The goal of micro cracking is to prevent severe, wide cracks from forming and thus reduce the risk of problematic reflective cracking through the pavement surfacing.

Pavement Markings Evaluation
Compare current practice using epoxy type markings with various urethane modified type markings for long-term durability and retro-reflectivity. Various types of pavement grinds will be employed to see if this variable will affect performance of the products.

PavePrep Waterproofing Membrane
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the feasibility of using a waterproofing membrane and hot mix asphalt overlay to preserve a bridge deck in reasonable condition until that bridge can be replaced.

The main purpose of the waterproofing membrane is to limit the penetration of water through the old, existing PCCP deck surfacing. Once moisture penetrates through the surface, it tends to become trapped under the surface thus accelerating corrosion of the reinforcing steel, which causes additional cracks, spalls, and delaminations of the concrete.

A secondary purpose of this membrane is to function as a stress relief interlayer material thereby limiting reflective cracking.

The specific PavePrep® membrane used in this project was chosen due to the stringent traffic control specifications. Completely cleaning the deck surface for patching and repaving normally requires days of rerouting traffic and congestion. PavePrep® is a composite of specialized asphalt mastic with select geotextiles on its top and bottom surfaces. PavePrep's® surface is traffic-worthy once cooled to ambient temperature, permitting unrestricted vehicle flow until the final asphalt overlay is applied.

Paving Fabrics to Mitigate Transverse Cracking
Experimental assessment of various pavement reinforcement systems (Glasgrid, Glaspave, PavePrep, and Trupave) in effort to determine effectiveness of these treatments for potential use in future road construction projects for the reduction of reflective cracking.

Placement of Plant Mix Seal (.75") on Diamond Ground Portland Cement Concrete Pavement (PCCP)
This project is a PCCP rehabilitation project to include the placement of a plant mix seal (PMS) after a diamond grinding of the PCCP surface. Durability of the bond of PMS to PCCP is the main element of this research. The plant mix seal has the potential to reduce winter maintenance costs by approximately 80 percent.

Radar Speed Display Trailer-mounted Device for Speed Reduction in Construction Work Zones
Determine the effectiveness of trailer mounted radar speed display devices in reducing speed in construction work zones.

Recycled Plastic Mat as Weed Prevention and Erosion Control Around Guardrail Posts
The Departments current use of erosion and weed control around guardrails is to pave the area with asphalt cement (AC). The objective of this project is to test two products made from recycled rubber and plastic mats to determine if this could be a cost effective alternative to paving with AC. These products wrap around the guardrail supports and keep the weed from growing and the soil in place. They can be mowed over without the mats hindering the blades.

Reduction of Portland Cement (PCCP) in (SD-L) Bridge Deck to Reduce Cracking
The Department is considering reducing the amount of portland cement concrete (PCC) used in the current special deck provision (SD-L). The premise that our current level of PCCP used in deck construction lends itself to an abnormal level of shrinkage cracking. By reducing the amount of PCCP may reduce the level of cracking now seen without a detriment to deck performance. Several other states are conducting research in this topic. MDT is currently looking into applicable projects to incorporate this scenario of reduced PCCP.

Ribbed Aluminum Box Culvert (ABC)
Contech Aluminum Box Culverts are a practical and cost efficient solution for small bridge replacement. They have a lower installed cost because they are faster and easier to install than cast-in-place concrete structures. There are no forms to set and remove, no delays due to curing time, large installation crews are unnecessary, and no special equipment is needed. Also, no heavy cranes are required as with precast concrete structures.

Smart Cushion Innovations (SCI) 100GM Crash Attenuator
The SCI100GM is a fully redirective, non-gating, bi-directional crash attenuator with a reverse-tapered design to eliminate side panel stress during a collapse. In addition it has a low angle of exit on side impacts (<1°) to keep vehicles from rebounding back into traffic. The hydraulic porting of the attenuator ensures that the proper resistance is used to stop the vehicle before it reaches the end of the cushion's usable length. Per the manufactures information, this device, based on a frontal impact, may be reset and back in service under an hour with minimum cost.

Soil Nail Launching Slope Stabilization
Soil nailing is a proven method of stabilizing slopes. The Soil Nail Launcher, provided by Soil Nail Launcher, Inc., can complete slide repairs in just a few days and provide added strength. Adapted from British military technology, the launcher uses com-pressed air to send 1.5-inch steel bars 20 feet or more into the soil. The bars traveling up to 220 miles per hour create a shock wave causing the soil to jump away and allowing the bar to pass. The soil then collapses around the bar creating a powerful bond. Tests have shown this bond to be much greater than percussion-driven nails. The bars can be solid, threaded or hollow with plain, galvanized or epoxy coatings. Hollow bars can serve as horizontal drains. Depending upon soil characteristics and its penetration resistance, the Soil Nail Launcher application is appropriate for shallow to medium depth slide repairs.

Square Sign Support Omni Directional Slip Base
The Redi-Torques system is designed as a breakaway device at the base. In case of a vehicle impact (to minimize potential structural damage and increased safety for vehicle occupants) the unit base is designed to compress releasing tension on the support bolts and allow the sign base to release. This system allows the MDT to install the unit with an existing compatible triangular slip base.

Stay–Tuff Woven Fence
Determine the effectiveness and durability of the Stay-Tuff woven fence. The product uses a hinge-joint knot resulting in solid vertical (stay) wires and improved fence flexibility and strength. Additionally, the product uses heavier gauge top and bottom horizontal (line) wires to reduce the potential of the fence sagging. The Department would like to determine if this can be a viable alternate to interstate fence specifications types (CM & CW).

The use of Geogrid to reduce Base Course Aggregate
Areas in Montana have limited supplies of aggregate for use in road bed base course on reconstruction projects. This effort is to select various geogrid products in an effort to reduce the percentage of the base course aggregates.

The Use of Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement (RAP) in the production of Hot Mix Asphalt (HMA)
Reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) can be used as an aggregate in the hot recycling of asphalt paving mixtures (HMA) in one of two ways. The most common method (conventional recycled hot mix) involves a process in which RAP is combined with virgin aggregate and new asphalt cement in a central mixing plant to produce new hot mix paving mixtures. A second method (hot in-place recycling) involves a process in which asphalt pavement surface distress is corrected by softening the existing surface with heat, mechanically removing the pavement surface, mixing it with a recycling or rejuvenating agent, possibly adding virgin asphalt and/or aggregate, and replacing it on the pavement without removing the recycled material from the pavement site.

Thin Whitetopping (TW)
Thin Whitetopping (TW) is a recently developed rehabilitation technique in which 100 to 160 millimeter thick, layer of high-strength, fiber-reinforced, portland cement concrete is placed over a milled surface of rutted and/or cracked asphalt concrete pavement. TW is typically performed in heavy traffic corridors to combat rutting and/or shoving. By bonding concrete to the underlying asphalt layer, the TW and existing asphalt perform as a load-bearing, composite section.

Tower-Mounted Wind Turbine for the Generation of Supplemental Power
This is an effort to determine the cost-effectiveness in the reduction of grid-line power service in the installation of a tower-mounted utility grid interconnected wind turbine to provide supplemental power to an interstate rest area. Deployment of a 30 meter (98 ft.) in height, free-standing lattice tower supporting a 3 blade, 6.7 meter (22 ft.) rotor diameter; Bergey Windpower model 10 kW wind turbine.

Urethane Epoxy Pavement Markings
Determine the effectiveness and long-term durability of the products Swarco MFUA-10 and Ennis HPS urethane epoxy pavement markings as compared to our currently approved epoxies.

Use Of Ceramic Beads To Enhance Nighttime Retroreflectivity With Pavement Markings
3M Wet Reflective Ceramic beads contain a unique dual–optics system that enhances dry and wet reflectivity. As weather conditions change, the wet or dry reflective components automatically take over the task of providing retroreflectivity that enables additional reflective index to provide guidance to motorists in all weather conditions.

Warm-mix Asphalt Paving
Warm-mix asphalt is the generic term for a variety of technologies that allow the producers of hot-mix asphalt pavement material to lower the temperatures at which the material is mixed and placed on the road. Reductions of 50 to 100 degrees Fahrenheit have been documented. Such drastic reductions have the obvious benefits of cutting fuel consumption and decreasing the production of greenhouse gases. In addition, potential engineering benefits include better compaction on the road, the ability to haul paving mix for longer distances, and the ability to pave at lower temperatures.